Across the Years
by AMayes
Summary: Edward receives a letter from a stranger by the name of Isabella, and discovers they are living two years apart. He in 2007; Bella in 2009. Through a mystical mailbox they are able to communicate...and fall in love. Lake House/Twilight Crossover AH/AU
1. Prologue

_This is something I came up with while watching "The Lake House", which was a remake of the Korean movie, "Il Mare." It's a crossover. AU/AH and OOC.  
_

_I realize this prologue is very short. I have the first (longer!) chapter pretty much finished and will post it tomorrow._

_I do not own Twilight nor do I own "Il Mare" or "The Lake House"  
_

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**Across the Years**** - Prologue  
**

Bella raced, in a panic, towards the mailbox. Once there she quickly pulled out a notepad and began scrawling on it, nearly ripping the paper in the process.

Tears dropped from her eyes as she wrote frantically, stopping at intervals to impatiently wipe at her face.

Desperately, she continued to write, her breath coming in gasps. Finally finished, Bella clumsily folded the note and thrust it inside the mailbox. She pushed the flag up.

_Please, let it not be too late_. She chanted silently. _Please, please, let him get my note._

With her eyes fixed on the flag, Bella waited. The flag stayed stubbornly up. Bella felt more tears fall down her cheeks. Every moment that passed caused her more anxiety. This had to work. It was all she could do.

_Please Edward, don't let it be too late._

_

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_**A/N: What do think so far?**_  
_


	2. Chapter 1

_After that incredibly short prologue, here is the more decently sized first chapter._

_Again, this is a crossover with The Lake House and Twilight.  
_

_If you like it, please let me know!_

_**I don't own Twilight, Il Mare, or The Lake House**  
_

**Across the Years – Chapter 1**

**2009**

Isabella Swan looked about the house with an air of finality. She loved it here and had been extremely reluctant to give it up but convenience demanded it. It was too far from her work. She ran her hands down the marble counters of the kitchen, and stood, looking out the window towards the sunlit water of the sea.

She took up the postcard she had brought with her and scribbled a note onto it.

_ Dear New Tenant,_

_ I hope you enjoy this house as much as I have. It holds a lot of memories for me._

_ Would you please forward any mail onto me at my new address? (listed on the side)_

_ I would really appreciate it._

_ Thank you._

_Ms. I. Swan_

_ P.S. The dog prints on the floor were already there when I moved in._

Bella dated the postcard, then walked out onto the porch and down the front walkway. She placed the postcard into the mailbox at the end, turning the red flag into its vertical position. With one last look up at the vast blue sky, she got into her car and drove off towards the city.

****************************

Bella was exhausted. The day had been long and tiring, sapping what strength she had. She usually loved her job as a social worker but, some days made her weary of human nature.

Today had been particularly trying, with a case of child sexual abuse. Some parents simply didn't deserve to walk the face of the Earth.

"Bella. You okay?"

Bella looked up to see her friend and co-worker, Alice Brandon in front of her. The diminutive, black-haired young woman had a sympathetic look on her face. They had met on the job two years ago, and become fast friends.

"Hey." Bella said in the way of a greeting.

"Long day?" Alice asked, sitting down beside her.

"Yeah. Bad case. I don't understand people. How can they be so horrible to their own?"

"I know. They don't deserve to live. Do you want to go grab a cup of coffee? Talk about things?"

"That would be great." Bella smiled wanly at her friend.

"Good, let's get out of here." Alice squeezed her shoulder, then pulled Bella up to her feet.

The two girls walked out of the office building, only to come upon a horrific looking scene. Police cars had blocked the traffic on the street, and an ambulance could be heard, the wailing of the siren coming closer and closer until it stopped just short of the barricade.

"Oh God, what happened?" Alice asked a woman who was standing watching with them.

"A man was crossing the street, when he was hit by that truck," she gestured towards a large, white, bakery truck, "He went down like a ton of bricks," the woman informed them, "Police and ambulance just arrived."

"That's horrible." Bella shuddered as she surveyed the paramedics, bent over an unmoving figure.

"Come on Bella, let's go. We can't do much from here." Alice ushered her around the crowd.

They entered a nearby coffee shop, grateful for the warmth. It was a frigid day for Vancouver. They ordered their coffees, found a table, and sat down. Bella shrugged off her coat and scarf.

"I hope that man is alright." Bella commented as she draped her things over the chair.

"So do I. What a terrible thing to happen." Alice said. They were silent for a moment before Alice spoke up again.

"So, what else is new with you?" She asked, as she de-layered.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Work, go home, feed the dog." Bella wrinkled her nose at the way her life sounded…dull. Her expression was mirrored on Alice's face.

"Seriously Bella, you need to go out, have some fun! You can still come out with Rose and me tonight," Alice grinned, "We can get you a man."

"I don't know that I'm ready to date yet." Bella said, curving her hands around her coffee cup for warmth.

"Because of that guy Mike? What he did was terrible, but it wasn't your fault Bella."

"I know that. I'm just not ready to go back out on the market. C'mon Alice, give me a little more time." Bella pleaded.

"Oh fine," Alice huffed, "But you're denying men the opportunity of a lifetime!"

Bella smiled at her friend, and changed the subject.

***********************

After she had bid Alice goodbye, Bella sat in her car, but she didn't want to go to her apartment. Instead she wandered aimlessly around the city roads, and found herself driving towards her old home by the water.

It looked as if it had been waiting for her to come by. As far as she knew there had been no offers on it.

She was glad it hadn't been sold yet, as it afforded her some solitary time with her former haunt. Bella sat down by the water's edge, taking solace in the pink glow of the sun reflected off the water's surface.

After some time, she stood up, and her eyes fell on the mailbox. The flag was still up. Curious to see if any mail had been misdirected, she approached it and pulled down the front flap. Her postcard was gone. In its place was a white envelope, with _Ms. Swan_ written on the front. Bella opened the envelope, and withdrew a piece of yellow legal paper.

_Dear Ms. Swan,_

_I don't see how you could have lived in this house, as it's been empty for at least 3 years. _

_Perhaps you meant your card for the house a few blocks down the road? Also, the address you left doesn't even exist. Are you sure you wrote it down correctly? And, you misdated your postcard, it's 2007._

_Mr. E. Cullen_

_P.S. What dog tracks are you talking about?_

Bella was thoroughly confused. She reread the note then frowned. Her address didn't exist? 2007? Who was this, and what was wrong with him? Rummaging in her purse, she found a pen, tore a page out of her planner, and wrote:

_Dear Mr. Cullen,_

_Let's get one thing clear. It's 2009, not 2007. February 1__st__, to be exact. I did not mean _

_the card for any other house than this one. I'll write my new address down one more _

_time. _

Olympic Heights

342 Kensington Road,

Vancouver, B.C.

_Again, I would appreciate it if you would forward any mail to the new address._

_Thank you._

_Ms. Swan_

Bella folded the paper, and put it into the mailbox, not bothering about an envelope. She pushed the flag up. As she was walking away, she heard a creak. Turning around, she saw the flag was down again. Warily, Bella slowly walked back to the mailbox, opening it tentatively. She bent down to look inside.

The paper was gone. She stuck her hand in, feeling around all the corners, to make sure the box was empty. Wildly, she whirled around, looking around the ground, wondering if the paper could've flown away somehow.

Bella felt a shiver go down her spine, and shook her head as if to clear it. She ran back to her car, got in and quickly drove away.

Once home, she smoothed out the yellow paper that she had hastily thrown into her purse. She studied it. It seemed like a normal sheet of paper. Her eyes roamed over the words written on the page. It definitely said 2007, there was no way to mistake that 7 for a 9.

The penmanship was neat. Bella traced her finger over the name. E. Cullen. She wondered who he was, and why he thought it was two years ago. Finally, Bella gave up pondering, put the note away, and went to the kitchen to make herself dinner.

*****************

It was a few days before Bella was back to revisit her old home. Work had been keeping her busy. However, her curiosity had got the better of her. Would there be a note waiting for her from E. Cullen?

She pulled up onto the driveway, and cut the engine. Taking a deep breath, Bella got out of the car, her eyes fixed on the mailbox. When she saw the flag was up, her heart skipped a beat. She ran up to the mailbox, and took out another yellow sheet.

_Dear Ms. Swan,_

_This is getting strange. I actually went to the address you listed and it literally does _

_not exist. It's under construction with the name you listed, but won't be ready for _

_another year or so. So you can't be living there! To clear things up, today's date is _

_February 4__th__, 2007. _

_Can you tell me what I might be missing here? _

_E. Cullen_

_P.S. I know what you mean about the dog tracks now._

Bella put the flag down. He was giving the correct date, but two years off. Her building was under construction? What did he mean he could see what she meant about the paw prints?

She wondered if she were the subject of a practical joke, but who would put so much effort into it?

The only other explanation was that this E. Cullen really did live in the past. Or that he was completely delusional, she thought to herself wryly. It was more likely the latter. Still, his writing didn't seem like someone with psychological issues.

Tucking the note into her planner, Bella made her way back to her car. As she turned the key, she couldn't help but smile.

It wasn't conventional, but at least it was something different in her life.

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**A/N: Please review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thanks to my brand-new, shiny beta, katmom, for bearing with my commas!**

**This chapter shows what Edward experienced during the first chapter. After this, I probably won't rewrite POVs any more. I just wanted to set it up.  
**

**Hope you enjoy it.**

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**Across the Years – Chapter 2**

Edward Cullen was tired. It showed in the slump of his shoulders, and the dark circles under his eyes. It seemed, lately, that all he did was work. It was taking over his life. That's what happened when you were married to your job, he thought grimly. He wanted nothing more than to lie down, and sleep for the next few days.

Unfortunately, with the way his schedule was looking, sleep was something he wasn't going to enjoy fully for the foreseeable future. Edward sighed, trying to focus on the plans of the building in front of him. He had been assigned to design a major office building in the heart of Vancouver. It was a big contract, and one that would finally put him on equal footing with his father. Unlike his brother, Emmett, Edward had followed his father's career path and become an architect. He loved his work, but, as Emmett frequently pointed out, he let it dominate his waking hours.

Edward gave up on trying to make sense of the blueprints in his hands, and decided to call it a night. As usual, he was one of the last to leave the office. Yawning, he ran his hands through his hair, mussing it up even more. He turned off the lights, and locked the door to office.

It was a chilly night for Vancouver, which wasn't surprising considering the time of year. Edward got into his car, and began to journey to his home of one week. City life had become too hectic for his liking, and he had opted to move into his family's old house by the sea. It was in a somewhat isolated location, but afforded the quiet he enjoyed. It was also a much better location for his dog, Aro.

He pulled into the driveway, and got out of the car. As he passed the mailbox, he noticed the flag was up. Intrigued, Edward opened the front flap to find a postcard inside. He frowned; no one he knew was anywhere that would warrant receiving a postcard. The front of the card showed a picture of Vancouver's skyline. He looked closely, feeling something was different about it. Unable to pinpoint the discrepancy, Edward shrugged. _I'm probably just over-tired_. He thought to himself.

Flipping the card over, he read the message.

_Dear New Tenant,_

_I hope you enjoy this house as much as I have. It holds a lot of memories for me._

_Would you please forward any mail onto me at my new address? (Listed on the side)_

_I would really appreciate it._

_Thank you._

_Ms. I. Swan_

_P.S. The dog prints on the floor were already there when I moved in._

Edward shook his head, rubbed at his eyes and read it again. What was this Ms. Swan talking about? No one had lived in this house for years. His father owned it, and had never rented it out. Edward was the first one to be in the house in over 3 years. And the date on the card, 2009? Obviously this girl had made a mistake. Not to mention there were no dog prints anywhere to be seen. Maybe the card had been wrongly delivered to this address.

He carried the postcard into the house, setting it down by his laptop, which he switched on. Once his profile had loaded, Edward logged onto the internet to look up the address Ms. Swan had left for him. When nothing came up, he tried again, using a different search engine. Nothing. Edward ran his hands through his hair again, frustrated.

This woman was playing him for a fool. He located his notepad, ripped off a page, and wrote a hasty note back to Ms. Swan. After sealing it in an envelope, Edward went back outside to put it into the mailbox. He pulled the flag up, and returned to the house, intending to sleep off the incident.

He came back to the desk, to shut down the laptop, accidentally knocking the postcard onto the floor. Aro came trotting up then, and sniffed at it experimentally. Suddenly he yipped, barking excitedly, his tail wagging furiously.

"What is it? What are you so excited about?" Edward asked, picking the postcard up and setting it back on the desk. Aro jumped up, placed his paws on the desk, and sniffed at the card again. He gave out another happy bark. Edward was surprised when Aro leaped up on him, licking whatever part of his face he could reach. "Argh, that's enough, get down!"

He let Aro out to answer nature's call. Once the dog was back inside, Edward went to his room. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Edward woke the next morning, bleary eyed and feeling he could sleep for another two days. Groaning, he swung his feet out of the bed, put on his housecoat and went into the kitchen to start the coffeemaker. He had stepped outside to grab his morning paper, when he noticed the flag of the mailbox was down.

_I know that the post isn't delivered this early._ He thought to himself. After some hesitation, he walked up to the mailbox and opened it. Inside lay a small sheet of paper, clumsily folded. His original envelope was nowhere to be found. Bewildered, Edward picked up the sheet, and unfolded it.

The contents only served to confuse him even more. She seemed intent on believing it was 2009. He looked at the address she'd written for him once more. Seeing as how he worked pretty close to Kensington Road, Edward decided to see where this woman lived. He slipped the paper into his pocket, and headed back to the house.

************

"So, we're on schedule then? Good, we wouldn't be able to take any more delays with this project. Alright, send me the documents." Edward hung up the phone just as a knock sounded on his office door. "Come in." He called.

The door opened, and a burly, dark-haired man stepped in. He gave Edward an appraising look. "You look like shit," He greeted affably. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Thanks. What are you doing here Emmett?"

"I came to see how my younger brother was doing. There were rumours that you hadn't left the building in a month. I wanted to see if it were true." Emmett looked at him with some concern. "You're working yourself too hard, aren't you? Take a breather, Ed, it seems like you need one. Take a walk, get some air."

Edward gazed at his desk, and all the work he had yet to do. Then he thought of the note in his jacket pocket. He stood up, reaching for his jacket.

"What are you doing?" Emmett asked, watching as Edward shrugged his arms into his jacket.

"Taking your suggestion. You can come with me." Edward grabbed Emmett's arm, closing the office door behind them.

Once in the elevator, Edward took the note out, smoothing it out between his hands. Emmett peered curiously at it.

"What do you have there?" He asked.

"An address, Emmett, no one's been in the seaside house since Dad left, right?"

"As far as I know; why do you ask?"

"It's weird, but I found a note in the mailbox, some Swan person asking me to forward her mail to her. She said she was living there for the past 2 years. I looked up the address she left, but I couldn't find it. It's on Kensington Road."

"Really? That's pretty close to here, is that where you want to go?"

"Yeah, I want to make sure I'm not going crazy."

"Long past that, bro," Emmett commented, as the elevator doors opened.

The two men took the short walk towards the indicated road; they came to a stop in front of a construction site.

"Olympic Heights," Edward read on the banner that was attached to the fence, "Opening in December 2008." He read the address on the paper once more. "This is it," He announced.

"Well, it certainly seems like a cozy place to live," Emmett remarked, sarcasm clear in his tone. "Who is this chick that wrote to you? You have some weird stalker now?"

"All I know is that her first name starts with an 'I'; and her last name is Swan. Weird." Edward shook his head. "Want to hear something else weird?"

"Sure, spill it."

"I wrote back to her last night and left it in the mailbox. When I woke up this morning, my letter was gone and this was in its place," Edward waved the note, "I know the mailman doesn't come that early."

"Maybe this girl/stalker came and took it in the night." Emmett suggested.

"I don't know, maybe," Edward conceded, though he didn't really believe it. Who would come up with such a strange scheme? He wasn't sure why, but he had the distinct feeling that I. Swan, firmly believed what she wrote. "Let's go, it's getting cold."

**********************

That weekend, Edward went about setting up drop cloths and tape to paint the living room walls. They'd faded over the years, and he preferred a slightly darker colour to offset the furniture in the room. He'd put Aro outside, so as not to have him underfoot while he painted.

Edward had decided to ignore the mailbox's last message. The author was seemingly misguided and he figured the best way to handle it was to stop adding fuel to the fire.

The afternoon passed uneventfully enough, as Edward painted the walls. Once he was done, he cleaned up the paint and paintbrushes. Then he went to let Aro back inside. The dog came bounding in, happy to be reunited with his master. He went running around the corner, where Edward heard a crash then the sound of paws running through the kitchen and out onto the porch.

When he went to see what had happened, he found a paint pan he'd forgotten, and taupe coloured paw prints going around the kitchen and down the wood of the porch. The words on Ms. Swan's first note came back to him, _P.S. The dog prints on the floor were already there when I moved in. _Edward stared, unbelievingly, at the prints. It had to be a coincidence. There must have been hundreds of homes with the same sort of marks on the floor.

He didn't ask himself why, instead of cleaning up the mess, he went straight to find the tablet of paper to write a note to the Swan girl. He wrote swiftly, wanting to get it into the mailbox as quickly as possible. Once done, he ran out to the mailbox, with Aro barking happily next to him. He slid the note in, pulled the flag up.

Edward wasn't sure what was happening, but he found he couldn't wait to see what Ms. Swan would write in response.

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**A/N: I wasn't sure about the flow with this one. Hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave a review!  
**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hello all, and welcome to the third chapter. I had a great time writing it!**

**Thanks again to katmom, you're a great beta!  
**

**I continue to not own Twilight, The Lake House or Il Mare**

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**Across the Years – Chapter 3**

"Seriously, Bella, what planet are you on today?" Alice asked, noticing that her friend's attention had wandered yet again. Bella snapped back to reality, looking guilty.

"Oh, sorry Alice. I guess I'm a little distracted," she apologized.

"By a case?"

"No, it's…something else," Bella's hesitation sparked Alice's curiosity.

"Something or some_one_ else?" Alice pounced, when a blush started seeping over Bella's cheeks.

"It's…it's nothing. Can we pretend I didn't say anything?" Bella pleaded, turning even redder.

"Isabella Swan, have you met someone and not told me? Who is it? Do I know him?" Alice's voice rose with excitement, causing people at neighbouring tables to turn towards them.

"Shh!" Bella begged, scandalized, "Quiet down Alice, everyone can hear you! It's not as exciting as you think. I haven't met anyone…per se."

"Per se?" Alice echoed, baffled.

"Well, I haven't actually seen this person. We've exchanged a few notes. It's really nothing. I have no idea what he looks like, or what he's like at all." Bella was feeling stupider by the minute. She didn't even know this man's full name! Why was she even talking about him?

"Notes, as in letters? Where is this guy from?"

"Well, here, but…" Bella trailed off, feeling sure Alice would commit her to an asylum if she told her about the note's contents. The black-haired girl merely stared at Bella, waiting for her to continue. "Geez, Alice, you're worse than a parent. Okay, if I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Alice said solemnly.

"Here, it's easier if I show you. Look at this," Bella drew her planner from her bag, and took out the two pieces of yellow paper E. Cullen had sent her. She passed them over to her friend.

Alice picked up the sheets, scanning them quickly. A look of confusion crossed her face; she bent to read the words again. When she was done, her eyes met Bella's.

"He's crazy, right? I mean, there's no way he could be serious," Bella gave a nervous laugh.

"Well, it's definitely out of the norm. How has he been sending these to you?"

"That's another weird thing. It's from the mailbox, from my old house." Bella continued, relating the incident when her own note had mysteriously disappeared, only to be replaced with E. Cullen's.

Alice listened, with a thoughtful expression. "You and I both work with a lot of mentally unsound people. So far, all you've received are notes, and they're not threatening in any kind of way. He sounds just as confused as you. You haven't noticed anyone around that shouldn't be, have you?"

"No," Bella shook her head.

"Then it seems you have yourself a little mystery." Alice smiled and then turned serious. "But be careful. Who knows what he could really be like?"

********************

After their conversation, Bella returned to her apartment. She took out the two notes again, staring at them, trying to make up her mind about what to do. Alice had confirmed her earlier deduction; E. Cullen didn't match the profile of a mentally unstable personality. Yet, what reason did she have to continue writing to this man?

_None, but you want to know more about what's happening_. A voice in her head told her. After struggling for another minute, Bella got up to fetch a sheet of paper from her printer. Sitting down at the kitchen counter, she wrote:

_Dear E. Cullen_

_If you're missing something, then so am I. My apartment building _

_is very much a reality, though I understand it was still under_

_construction in February of 2007. If you really are in the past _

_I'll give you a heads up. A monumental snowstorm hit in the middle _

_of February in your year. You'll want to bundle up well._

_I'm including a photograph of my apartment building, as proof that it does exist._

_Sincerely,_

_Isabella Swan_

_P.S. I take it the prints were from your dog._

Putting down her pen, Bella grabbed her camera and ran outside. She quickly snapped a photo of the building with its name and number clearly displayed. Once back in her apartment, she printed off a copy and put it, as well as her note, into an envelope.

Although it was getting late, Bella wanted to get the note into the mailbox as quickly as possible, so she drove the half hour to get to her old home.

The house was still empty and silent. Bella hoped it would remain so for the foreseeable future. Slipping the envelope into the mailbox, she pulled the flag up. Knowing she had to get up early for work, Bella reluctantly left the house, determined to return as quickly as she could.

*************************

It was the weekend before Bella was able to revisit the mailbox. Work, along with Alice and Rosalie, had kept her busy throughout the rest of the week.

When she reached the seaside, Bella eagerly ran up to the mailbox, further excited to see the flag up. Another yellow sheet waited for her inside the postbox. Bella quickly read its contents.

_Dear Isabella,_

_Are we on a first name basis now? Since you've given me yours, _

_it's only fair for me to do the same, I'm Edward. _

_Your prediction about the snowstorm turned out to be true; _

_I hadn't thought it possible for this city. _

_I'm also enclosing a photograph of your apartment, though _

_it looks a little different from your own._

_You might think me crazy, but I have to ask, can this really be happening?_

_Sincerely,_

_Edward Cullen_

Bella searched the mailbox and found the smaller square of paper. The words, "Olympic Heights – Opening in 2008" were on a large red banner that was attached to a fence, with a skeleton of a building behind it. The location was the same; there was no doubt about it.

Her hands fell to her sides, as Bella stood in some shock. Although she had suspected there might be some truth in what was happening, to have it more or less verified was like being hit with ice water.

Not wanting to wait, Bella tore a page from her planner to write back:

_Dear Edward,_

_If you're crazy then so am I. It seems like it _is_ happening._

_Just to be sure, I have to know, where are you?_

_Now I'll ask you, HOW can this be happening?_

_Isabella_

She placed the note in the mailbox and flagged it as usual. Just as she was walking back to her car, she heard a familiar creaking noise. Turning around, Bella saw the flag was down. She was walking slowly back towards it, fairly brimming with anticipation, when the flag went back up again.

With wide eyes, Bella opened the mailbox to take out the same page she had just torn out a few minutes earlier. Only now Edward's writing was on the front of it. Judging from the hurried scrawl-like appearance of it, he hadn't wanted to wait either.

_I'm at 420 Racine Drive, North Vancouver._

_I think this would be where you are as well?_

_What's the date where you are?_

_And I don't know how this is happening._

_But I'm not sorry._

_Edward_

Although she knew the address, Bella looked up at the street sign, _Racine Drive_. Turning, she looked to the house, _420_. Unable to stop a smile from raising her mouth, Bella flipped the envelope over to write back.

_It's February 21__st__ here, 2009._

_I'm not sorry either. It is, by far, the most interesting thing to happen to me._

Almost as soon as she put the envelope into the mailbox, the flag went down. After a few minutes of impatient waiting, it righted itself.

_It's February 21__st__ here too, but 2007._

_And it's very nice to meet you._

_Don't stop writing; I want to hear more about your life._

_Edward  
_

Her heart was beating rapidly, as adrenaline raced through her body. Edward Cullen. The name had a nice sound to it. The entire situation was irrational, but it filled her with a kind of exhilaration she hadn't felt in years.

With a huge smile on her face, Bella stood by the mailbox, hugging Edward's notes to her chest. She carefully placed them into her planner, before ripping out another page to write one last note.

_Edward,_

_I'll get right on it._

_It's nice to meet you too._

_Isabella_

_

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_**A/N: Not the longest of chapters but there it is. Liked/disliked it? Let me know in a review!**_  
_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Hello! I'm back with an update! Yay for school holidays, one of the perks of being a teacher!  
**_

_**Thanks again to katmom, my wonderfully supportive beta!**_

_**I don't own Twilight, Il Mare or The Lake House, I just play with the characters and storylines.**_

_**

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**_

**Across the Years – Chapter 4**

Edward watched the flag creak down. After it creaked back up again, he practically tore the mailbox flap down in his hurry to extricate the awaiting note. Aro was sitting by his feet, looking up at him with a strangely expectant look.

_Edward,_

_I'll get right on it._

_It's nice to meet you too._

_Isabella_

He smiled as he read her words. The entire situation was so incredibly unreal and yet, it was happening. The photographs she had sent could've easily been fake, but Edward had a feeling this Isabella wasn't the type to play practical jokes. Besides, he was enjoying the notes too much.

Edward took a good look at the mailbox. There didn't appear to be anything amiss about it. It was a regular piece of metal that happened to hold mail.

It had been shocking when he had noticed the flag moving of its own accord, but with each re-positioning he found himself filled with anticipation. _Isabella Swan_. She certainly had a beautiful name, he mused to himself.

If she was going to take him up on his suggestion of getting to know one another better, he figured he should do the same. Realizing just how cold it was outside, Edward signaled to Aro, and the two of them headed back towards the warmth of the house.

Once inside he noticed the stack of papers he had piled on his desk the night before. Ordinarily he would have sat down right away to begin working on it. Today he wanted nothing more than to write to Isabella.

"I've finally met someone interesting," he commented to the retriever. Aro cocked his head to the side, looking up quizzically. "And her name is Isabella." With that, Edward ignored the documents, took out his pad of paper and settled down to write.

_Isabella,_

_Since you were kind enough to agree to being rather_

_odd pen pals, I thought I'd tell you a little about myself. _

_My full name is Edward Anthony Cullen and I'm _

_30 years old. I work as an architect at a downtown firm. _

_My father was an architect as well. Honestly, I don't get _

_out much because of it. My brother, Emmett, would tell _

_you I'm married to my work. I'd try to deny it, but he _

_might be right._

_I've lived in Vancouver pretty much my whole life and I love _

_this city. It has a beauty in it that you don't find often in big_

_cities._

_And, this might be presumptuous to add, I'm single. I didn't _

_want you to think I was a married guy who gets thrills from _

_writing to strange women._

_I look forward to hearing about you. _

_Edward_

He read the note over, wondering in the back of his mind if he was losing it. Writing to a woman he'd never met, who apparently didn't even live in the same time as he did. Who would believe a story like that? After turning the paper over in his fingers a dozen times, he stood up with resolve.

Maybe he was going crazy, but it was a good way to go. Aro followed him outside, running ahead, then stopping at the mailbox. He barked until Edward caught up.

The rest of the day Edward tried his best to work. For the first time, he was unable to focus. His mind kept wandering back to the mailbox, wondering what Isabella had to say to him.

His progress was sadly slow.

****************

The following Monday at work, Edward found he was unable to concentrate. The littlest things distracted him: an unsharpened pencil, dust on his monitor, and, most of all, the yellow legal pad that was sitting in his briefcase. Determined to not let the correspondence get out of hand, Edward had made a strict self-rule that there would be no letter writing at work.

A rule he wanted to break, badly. Tired of resisting, he turned to his briefcase and took out Isabella's letter that he had received the day before. He'd already read it several times, but once more wouldn't hurt.

_Edward,_

_I was happy to get your note! Now, it's my turn._

_My name is Isabella Marie Swan, but all my friends _

_call me Bella. I hope you will call me by it too. I _

_always found the full name too formal. _

_I'm a social worker in the city, specializing in youth _

_cases. It's not the easiest of jobs, but I love it. _

_I'm an only child, though I would've loved to have _

_grown up with a brother or sister. My friend, Alice, _

_is the closest thing I have to a sibling. _

_I've also lived in Vancouver my whole life. In my time_

_that would be a whole 30 years, 28 in your time._

_Between the two of us, seems kind of sad we _

_haven't been elsewhere doesn't it? _

_You weren't presumptuous, I'm also single. _

_I'm a little shy, so I find it hard to meet people. _

_Writing to you is different, I have time to think _

_it all out. _

_You said you were married to your work, _

_believe me, I understand that. But, I'm glad _

_you took the time to write to me. Your letter _

_brightened my day._

_I'm curious to know, what parts of the city do_

_you find particularly beautiful? I'd love to check_

_them out. _

_Write soon,_

_Bella_

Mulling over the contents of her letter, Edward thought about how to respond. He was idly playing with his pencil, and staring into space when the phone rang, interrupting his reverie.

"Edward Cullen," he said into the receiver.

"Yo, it's me," Emmett's voice came down the line. "We still on for lunch?"

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot."

"My importance in your life is astonishing. Be at Il Mare, noon."

"I'll be there," Edward retorted, cradling the receiver after Emmett hung up.

*****************

"So, this girl is living now?" Emmett asked, after reviewing the contents of the letter Edward had given him.

"Yeah, I guess. Em, what do you think is going on here? Is she crazy? Am I?" Edward asked, pushing his salad around on his plate.

"Bro, that's a hard one to answer. But, whether she's for real or not, I think this is a good thing for you."

"Do you?" Edward sounded skeptical.

"Yes, I do. This Isabella has finally got you interested in something other than work. How can it not be a good thing?"

"Even if she's insane?"

"Edward," Emmett turned serious. "You're one of the most logical people I know. If you've chosen to believe this girl, then there must be some basis for it. And, from reading this, she doesn't seem like a mental case."

"If she's one, then I guess I am too," Edward mused.

"Tell me something I don't know," Emmett grinned, easily catching the roll that came at him from across the table. "Don't play with your food Ed," he reproved, then his expression turned curious, "Say, what are you going to write back to this gal?"

"I was just thinking about that. I have an idea and need your input."

***************

After lunch Edward returned to work, making a concerted effort to focus on the task at hand. At 5:00 he promptly shut down the computer, grabbed his suitcase and headed for home.

Once he pulled up to the house, he slammed the car door, practically running in his eagerness to put his plan into action. Aro greeted him warmly and upon sensing his master's excitement, stayed close at Edward's heels as he hurried through the house. Edward rifled through his bookshelf, rapidly flipping through different brochures until he found what he was looking for.

"Look at this boy," Edward said, showing a walking map to Aro. "Do you think she'll like it?"

Aro yipped obligingly and wagged his tail, Edward laughed.

"Yes, I think so too. Let's get to work."

* * *

**A/N: I like reviews...a lot. They motivate me to update more quickly.  
**


	6. Chapter 5

_**I had a really fun time writing this chapter! **_

_**I found the note swapping near the beginning confusing so I used line breaks to show the change of author. It looks a little odd, but I couldn't think of a better way to do it!**_

_**Huge thanks as always to my super beta, katmom (I posted it earlier than I thought!) Check out her story, **_**Guarding Edward**_**, you won't be sorry I guarantee i!  
**_

_**I don't own Twilight, Il Mare or The Lake House**_

* * *

**Across the Years – Chapter 5**

Bella was finishing up with a case when her phone went off. Fumbling with her purse, she managed to get it out and answer before it went to voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Isabella Swan, where have you been keeping yourself?" Alice's voice berated her.

"Hi Alice, how are you?"

"Oh blah blah blah. You're avoiding my question. What have you been up to? I haven't even seen you much at work!"

"Just puttering around I guess," Bella said. "Has it really been that long since we've seen each other?"

"Well, considering we work together, yes. I haven't seen you in a week!"

"As long as that?" Bella laughed. "How have you managed to cope without me?"

"Ha ha. Seriously, I want to see you. How about tomorrow? You can't say no, it's the weekend!"

"Sure, but can we make it a bit later in the day? I have an…errand to run earlier on."

"Fine. Call me when you're done. See you tomorrow!" Alice signed off cheerfully.

Bella closed her phone, unable to keep from smiling. She was looking forward to seeing Alice, but she had a different reason for her grin; she had a date with Edward tomorrow.

*****************

The next morning, Bella donned a pair of lightweight cargo pants, t-shirt and a light blue hoodie. Her wavy hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. She tied on a pair of sneakers, put a water bottle into her carrying pack and was ready to go.

She had been ignoring Alice, as well as her other friends, because she was wrapped up in writing letters to Edward. They had progressed to telling each other likes and dislikes, favourite foods and movies, and favourite authors. It turned out they both had a fondness for Steinbeck and, strangely, novels about vampires.

In her hands she held the most recent letters from Edward, along with a map he had sent her.

_Bella, _

_You asked me before what my favourite parts of_

_the city were. Let me show you, on Saturday_

_afternoon. _

_We'll walk it 'together', if you'll say yes_.

* * *

_I'd love to Edward! But won't that be a lot_

_of trouble for you? _

* * *

_No trouble at all, I want to do this with you._

_I'm sending you a map with my favourite_

_areas marked on it, by number. I thought_

_it would be easier to talk about if I numbered_

_them. I'll walk it in order, if you will._

_The whole thing should take about 2 hours._

_I hope that's alright._

_I'm looking forward to showing you the city._

_

* * *

_

Bella tucked the letter into the pocket on her cargo pants, keeping the map out for reference. With a grin on her face she set off for her 'date'.

**************

Near the end of her walk, Bella consulted the map to see what was marked next. Edward had circled a point in red and written next to it: _Let's take a break here, this is one of my favourite places for unwinding. _She smiled as she walked towards the indicated street.

The tour had been a beautiful one. Although she knew a good many of the streets and general locations, she had never taken the time to really explore the city. Through the map and Edward's notes, Bella saw a different side of Vancouver. One full of unique sights and beauty that she hadn't been aware existed.

His knowledge of distinctive architecture was amazing, one of the benefits of being an architect, she mused. Bella had thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the addresses Edward had listed for her. One in particular had caught her eye. It was a simple white house, though sized more like a cottage. There were a few steps leading up to the front door which had a small awning over top of it. While the house was appealing in itself, it was the landscaping that really made it stand out. The house was surrounded by well-manicured trees and bushes, with a small flower garden leading out to the sidewalk.

She had actually taken a picture of it, wanting to be able to look at it whenever she liked.

The coffee shop Edward's map led her to was small, but cozy. Bella ordered and sat down at a table, glad to rest her feet for a little while. A middle-aged waitress brought her iced coffee out to her.

"Excuse me, but would your name happen to be Isabella Swan?" She asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" Bella asked in turn, surprised. She had never been in this area of the city so there was no reason for anyone to recognize her. The lady smiled at her.

"Wait one moment please, there's something here for you." She disappeared into the back room then came back with a small envelope in her hand. "Apparently this has been here for the last two years. My husband and I had a bet as to whether you would show up or not. Looks like he lost," she laughed.

Bella took the envelope from her, mystified. The front had her name written on it; she recognized Edward's handwriting immediately. She slit the envelope open and found the familiar yellow paper Edward usually used to write to her.

_Bella,_

_If you're reading this then my plan worked!_

_I wasn't sure if this coffee shop would still_

_be open in your time or not. I'm writing this_

_to you from the same place you're in now._

_I hope you enjoyed the little tour. I tried to_

_pinpoint the places I liked best for you. I had _

_a wonderful time walking through it myself._

_There's one more spot I want you to see. It's_

_not marked on the map but I can give you the_

_exact location here. It's the library on East_

_Boulevard, in Kerrisdale. It sounds strange but _

_you'll have to look at the concrete in front of_

_the library door._

_It would have been nice to be able to walk_

_with you today._

_Edward_

_P.S. Please thank the owner for me. Hanging_

_on to this for two years is no easy feat._

Impatient now to see the last location Edward had listed in his letter, Bella hastily gulped down the coffee, thankful she hadn't ordered a hot drink. She went to the counter where the woman was cleaning the counter.

"Thank you for the note and for holding onto it for such a long time." Bella said.

"Oh not a problem. I own this place and that envelope is something of a legend here. My husband and I weren't sure if anyone would come to pick it up. It tickled me when you arrived here, holding a map like he said you might be. I still remember the young man who came in with it."

"Really? What did he look like?" Bella asked eagerly, unable to contain her excitement.

"You don't know him?" The woman looked surprised.

"Well, yes, but we haven't met. He's a sort of…penpal."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, I've just been so curious about this," she looked apologetic and Bella assured her it was fine. "I'll tell you what I can about that man. He looked to be about your age. He was quite tall, and broad-shouldered. Now, I'm happily married but I remember thinking he was one of the best looking young men I'd ever seen, and also one of the politest. And he had the strangest hair, it was the colour of a penny and stuck out in every which direction. For a while he was a regular here, usually came on Saturday afternoons. He had a dog too that he brought with him."

"Does he not come anymore?"

"No, I haven't seen him for, oh, at least three months. Probably moved away," The older woman smiled at her. "I hope that's helped you some."

"Yes you have. Thank you very much! He suggested I come here today, as part of a walking tour that he planned for me." Bella said, smiling back.

"He planned a tour for you? I'm going to be nosy again, but you say he's a penpal?"

Bella nodded her assent, "Yes, we're friends. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know too many men who would go to so much trouble for just a friend, even one as striking as yourself. Awfully romantic gesture if you ask me." The woman gave her a warm smile. "You have yourself a good day my dear."

Bella thanked her again then left the shop to search out Edward's last stop.

*******************

The library wasn't too far from the coffee shop; Bella was able to find it easily. She looked again at Edward's note, _It sounds strange but you'll have to look at the concrete in front of the library door. _

The library was closed so there were no people around. Walking up to the entrance, Bella bent down and scanned the sidewalk in front of it. There on the surface she could see words had been etched into it, obviously done when it was still wet.

_Bella, I'm here with you. Thank you for a lovely afternoon. –E.C.-_

Lowering herself to the ground, she reread the message multiple times. Bella was glad that the library was closed so no one could see her smiling like an idiot; or the fiery blush that had appeared on her cheeks. It had to be the single most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her.

None of her past boyfriends had even come close to touching her heart the way this gesture did.

After what must have been a ridiculous amount of time, Bella took out her phone.

"Hi, Alice? Are you still up for meeting? Good, I had the best afternoon and I can't wait to tell you about it."

She snapped the phone shut, putting it back into her pack. Tracing the words Edward had engraved into the concrete, Bella had to admit to herself that Edward was definitely becoming much more than a penpal to her.

_I only hope he feels the same way. _

_

* * *

_**A/N: There you have it! I hope the notes between Edward and Bella weren't too confusing. Thanks for reading and if you liked it you can always review. :)**


	7. Chapter 6

_**So sorry for the very delayed update! I wasn't feeling the story for a while and I was also focusing my energies onto a different story of mine: Elevators, Strangers and Surprises (go check it out!)**_

_**HUGS to katmom for beta-ing! Without her, my story(ies) wouldn't make sense!**_

_**I also wanted to reiterate that this is a CROSSOVER with The Lake House. I had a reviewer who somehow missed that bit of information.  
**_

_**I don't own Twilight, The Lake House or Il Mare (Korean version of The Lake House). **_

* * *

**Across the Years – Chapter 6**

Edward was finishing up marking the tour spots for Bella on the walking map, complete with a short description of each site. It was shaping up to be a long walk, so he decided to include a favourite stop of his. Taking the pen up again, he circled one more destination on to it. Then an even better idea popped into his head. He looked down at Aro who was lying obediently by his feet.

"Hope you're ready for a long walk on Saturday," he said. Aro lifted his head, and raised himself into a sitting position, wagging his tail. "Good, let's hope this will actually work!"

Edward took the map, went outside and placed it into the mailbox, making sure he left the flag up.

The next morning Edward checked the mailbox on his way out to work. Inside was another letter from Bella.

_Okay Edward, I'll be happy to walk with you_

_this Saturday. Two hours is fine and a way _

_to get some exercise in! _

_Thanks for the map, I'll be sure to walk it_

_in this order._

'_See' you at noon then. _

_Bella_

Edward felt his face splitting with a wide smile. He couldn't wait for Saturday to get here.

*********************

On Friday Edward was just waiting for the weekend to arrive. He had had the most unproductive week of his career. Luckily it was a slow time of the year.

He had finally managed to focus on drawing out plans for a building near the downtown area, when the phone rang.

"Edward Cullen speaking," he answered, cradling the phone against his shoulder.

"Edward, it's Tanya, do you have a minute to talk?" A feminine voice spoke from the other end.

Tanya. They had known each other for years, and Edward knew Tanya had nursed a crush on him for the majority of that time. Finally, partly because everyone seemed to expect it, Edward had taken her out on a couple of dates. She was a nice enough girl; pretty and charming, but something was missing, there was no spark between them. He liked her as a friend, but anything more wasn't likely to happen.

"Tanya, how are you?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"I'm doing well."

"Good. Listen, I was wondering if you were free next Friday night? I have an extra ticket to a play, and well, we hadn't seen each other in awhile…" she said, sounding hopeful.

"Ah, next Friday…" Edward paused, knowing full well he was free that day. "Can I get back to you about that? I'm not sure about how my schedule is going to look."

He could hear a small sigh. "Sure. Just try to let me know by Wednesday?"

"Of course. I'd better go. I've got work to catch up on."

"Okay. Talk to you soon." Edward hung up the phone, feeling somewhat guilty. He wasn't lying per se, he just didn't want to lead her on. And there was Bella to consider…

"Right," he said aloud. "Considering a woman who lives two years ahead of me, and whom I will likely never meet. Cullen, you're beginning to lose it." Still, he found himself looking forward to tomorrow with a lot more enthusiasm than any time he'd been with Tanya.

*****************

The next morning Edward arose early, impatient for the day to begin. Aro was curled up on the floor in his own bed, snoring peacefully. Giving up trying to go back to sleep, Edward swung his legs out of bed, deciding to get some exercise in to try and stem his excitement.

He went through a series of crunches and push-ups; then went onto curls with his barbell set. After about an hour of this, Edward headed to the bathroom to shower. The hot water was soothing as it poured over him. After he stepped out, he took his razor and applied shaving gel to his face. With deliberate care, he ran the razor across his jaw and chin. There was a part of him wondering why he was going to the trouble. He wasn't going to actually see Bella. It wasn't a real date. This knowledge didn't stop him from applying some after-shave, something he usually never bothered with.

Seeing as how he was going to be walking, he opted to wear a pair of jeans, t-shirt and pulled on a light jacket. Wandering into the kitchen, he checked the clock on the stove. He still had another hour and a half to kill. He cooked himself breakfast, making sure he filled Aro's bowl and refreshed his water as well. When the dishes were cleared and washed, he spread his copy of the walking map on the table in front of him. He couldn't still the feeling of excitement that was growing up in him. The minutes crept by until it was finally time for him to leave. Edward tore a sheet off of his pad, putting it into his pocket, just in case. He called to Aro who was at his side instantly.

"We're going on a walk with Bella, how does that sound?" Edward asked, as he hooked Aro's leash onto his collar. Aro responded by licking his face, giving a happy sounding yip. "Good, I feel the same way. Let's go!"

It was a beautiful day for Vancouver. The sun was out, gently warming the city. Edward made sure to stop at every place he had marked, wondering what Bella was thinking as she explored the same place in her time. He wished he could see her and watch her expressions as she followed his trail.

He came to stop in front of a particular favourite spot of his, a small cottage-like house. Although he did enjoy the sprawling sea-side house he currently inhabited, something about this smaller home called to him. He had marked it without making much comment about it, wanting Bella to see it and he wondered if she'd like it as much as he did. Edward loved the small garden that graced the front lawn. He had always thought it would be a perfect place to start a family.

He kept walking and was passing by a library when something caught his eye. Around the door, there were signs and pylons set up. Going for a closer look, he saw the sign read "Wet Cement." Looking down at the roped off area, an idea sprang into his mind. Looking around he found a small branch. Picking it up, he returned to the cement, etching a short message into it. He pushed himself to his feet and examined his handiwork.

_"Bella, I'm here with you. Thank you for a lovely afternoon."_

Stooping down again, Edward added his initials then frowned. This wasn't one of the stops he's listed and he wanted Bella to see the message. Rising, he set off at a quick pace, for the coffee shop, hoping the owner wouldn't think him too crazy for what he was going to ask.

Edward came to the coffee shop which indicated the end of the tour for Bella. He shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over a chair at an outdoor table. Signaling for Aro to sit and wait, Edward went into the shop to place his order. The waitress, a friendly looking older lady, smiled at him.

"What can I get for you?" she asked, pausing in her task of wiping down the counters.

"Just a large coffee, black please," Edward said.

"That'll be two dollars. I'll bring it out to you," the waitress told him, taking the cash Edward handed her.

"Thank you." Edward went back outside, sitting down and rubbing Aro's head absent-mindedly. From his jacket, he pulled a sheet of paper but found he'd forgotten to bring a pen with him. When the waitress brought his coffee out, he stopped her.

"Excuse me. I'm sorry to trouble you, but do you have a pen I could borrow?"

"Of course, and it's no trouble at all." The lady assured him, taking one out of her apron and placing it on the table in front of him. Edward thanked her, and then set to writing a quick note to Bella, detailing that there would actually be one extra stop. Once finished, he folded it then stood to make a strange request of the owner.

"Is there something else I can get for you?" The waitress asked when she saw him come in.

"No, but I do have…a rather odd request," Edward told her.

"Oh? What is it?"

"Well, I have a note here that I wrote to a…friend of mine. She's away but she'll be back in two years."

"Two years?" The woman echoed.

"Yes," Edward smiled. "I know it sounds crazy, but could you possibly hang onto this for that long? This friend of mine should be here on this exact date, but in 2009." He stopped talking then, looking to see what the woman's reaction would be. For a moment, she only gazed at him with a searching look. Then she returned his smile.

"All right…I'll do it. But only because you seem to think a lot of this friend of yours. What does she look like?"

"Actually, I'm not sure," Edward's smile twisted. "She's more of a pen pal. But she should be holding a map and it'll be around this time of day."

"Hmm… A pen pal? If you say so," the waitress' smile remained friendly. "Do you have an envelope for that?"

"No, I didn't bring one with me."

"Here, that way I won't be tempted to read it," she laughed as she pushed a blank white envelope towards him. Edward wrote Bella's full name on the front before placing the note into it. He handed it back to the waitress.

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate this. I know it seems crazy."

"There are crazier things that happen every day. I'm happy to hold onto this. I want to see if this friend of yours really does come to retrieve it."

"So am I." Edward thanked her again and left the shop. He and Aro made their way back to the car that he'd left parked near the start of the walking tour. It would've been too far to try and walk the entire distance.

Once he was back home, Edward saw that the mailbox flag was up. He smiled as he walked towards it. Taking out the paper inside, he unfolded it.

_Edward,_

_Thank you for a wonderful afternoon._

_I didn't know that Vancouver had so _

_many beautiful sights. _

_I especially liked that one house you _

_marked off, number 12 on the map. I_

_even took a picture, I thought it was_

_that beautiful._

_The woman at the coffee shop was_

_excited when she saw me. I couldn't_

_believe it when she gave me that note_

_from you. _

_And that last stop. Edward, you really_

_shouldn't do things like that. It makes_

_the fact we're separated that much_

_more painful. This might be wrong to say_

_but it was probably the most romantic _

_thing anyone has ever done for me. _

_I really wish we could have done this_

_walk together._

_Write back soon._

_Bella_

Edward tore his eyes away from the note, looking towards the house then back to the mailbox that made their communication possible. Feeling both elated and apprehensive, he realized the unthinkable was happening.

He was falling in love with Bella Swan.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading. If you liked/didn't like it please let me know in a review!**


	8. Chapter 7

_**Hi all, sorry for the long wait...again! If it's any consolation, I'm at least halfway through chapter 8!**_

_**Also, I've been nominated in both the Immortal Cookie Awards, for Best Author and the Indie Twific Awards for Best Canon Complete (for the my story Possession)! Look up my profile to see about voting!  
**_

_**I'm going against everything I said before about points of view. This chapter will alternate, with solid line breaks to show the changes. I hope that's not confusing!**_

_**Thanks for the love I received for the last chapter! It thrills me to no end to see the reviews in my inbox. Hugs to you all!**_

_**A BIG hug to my beta, katmom, who puts up with me filling up her inbox with my inane babble, snippets and drafts to look over. Not to mention talking me through my insecurities. You are nothing short of amazing! **_

_**All right, on with the story!  
**_

_**

* * *

**_**Across the Years - Chapter 7  
**

After relating the events of the day to Alice, Bella waited to hear what she would say. She knew that there was a huge smile on her face that wouldn't come off. Alice tilted her head, examining the brunette before her. Then she smiled as well.

"Bella, do you realize just how amazingly romantic this all is? What girl wouldn't absolutely melt at knowing that a guy wrote in concrete for her? Or planned a day like this?" Alice gestured to the walking map that was lying between them on the table. "I don't know who this Edward Cullen is, but it seems like you've got yourself a keeper."

"A keeper who's two years behind me," Bella said, with a wistful look.

"Well, why don't you look him up? He's probably around in our time somewhere, right?"

"I've thought about it...countless times. I want to, desperately. But, as much as I want to find him, there's this nagging feeling I have. Like I'm not supposed to try and find him. I think there's a reason this mailbox works, and it's because we _haven't_ met. Does that make any sense?"

"Sadly, yes," Alice sighed. "I hate to admit it, but that does have some logic to it. Do you think you'll ever be able to meet?"

"I don't know. I hope so." Bella had never hoped for anything quite so hard.

***************

After she left the coffee shop, Bella headed back home. She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up in the closet. Ambling over to the kitchen, she noticed that the light on her phone was flashing. She pressed the button to hear the messages.

"Bella? It's me, Jake. I was wondering how you're doing? I want to talk with you so I'm really hoping that you'll call me back. Just in case you've forgotten, the number is…"

Bella stared at the phone, as if hoping it would tell her exactly why Jacob had called. It had been over a year since they'd last broken up. It hadn't been anything malicious; she just hadn't felt they were a good match. Jake had tried to convince her otherwise, but to no avail. Certainly he didn't cause the butterflies that letters from Edward gave her. No one in her dating history, short as it was, had been able to produce the feelings that Edward inspired in her.

For a few moments Bella wrestled with whether she should call Jacob back or not. She didn't want to give him false hope, but then perhaps, he was calling about something else entirely. As a sort of compromise to herself, she wrote the message down and stuck it onto the fridge door as a reminder. Then she set herself the task of sorting out her bills. It wasn't a hard task, as she was usually quite organized with her finances.

Once all that was out of the way, Bella settled down to what had become her favourite nightly hobby: re-reading Edward's letters. The letters were all carefully laid in a box that she kept in her bedroom closet.

Taking the box from the closet, Bella smoothed them out. She looked at Edward's handwriting. It was neat, legible, and entirely masculine. At least Bella thought it was. As she read through the notes, she tried to envision what he looked like. All she had was the description the coffee shop owner had given her: Unruly, copper-coloured hair and tall. The woman had also said he was unfailingly polite. Bella liked that he had manners. It was a trait that was fast becoming lost in today's society.

A thought occurred to Bella. Scooping up Edward's notes, she placed them back inside the box, returning it to its usual spot in her closet. Taking out her pad of paper, she grabbed a pen and began to write.

When she was finished she sealed it in an envelope and wrote Edward's name across the front as was her habit. Smiling to herself, Bella put the newly penned letter into her purse.

If he was real, he'd be able to give her what she'd requested.

* * *

Edward woke up to Aro pulling insistently on his leg. He looked at the time. Six-thirty.

"This had better be good," Edward grumbled, reluctantly getting out of bed. Seeing that Edward was now standing, Aro ran eagerly ahead to the front door. He stood there, waiting for Edward to catch up with him. Yawning, Edward unlocked the door, opening it for Aro to slip through. The retriever bounded out, making a beeline for the mailbox. Realizing where Aro was headed, Edward instantly became more alert. Throwing on a pair of runners, he ran outside to the mailbox.

The flag was up and Edward opened it with a sense of anticipation. He looked forward more and more to Bella's letters. It seemed that his excitement transferred to Aro as well. He impatiently tore at the envelope, drawing out Bella's familiar stationery.

_Edward,_

_I was wondering if you would do me a favour?_

_It's a lot to ask, but I'm going to ask anyway._

_Two years ago, on this day, I was taking the 1:35 SkyTrain_

_at Oakridge Station to my mother's house. I left a _

_personal item on the platform. It was supposed to be_

_a gift for her. If you find it, would you send it back _

_to me by putting it into the mailbox? _

_I would really appreciate it. It had special_

_meaning for me._

_I'm thinking of you…_

_Bella_

Edward folded the note. At this point, there really wasn't anything he wouldn't have done for her. It was lucky that it was Sunday. It gave him plenty of time to get to the station to find whatever it was Bella had left on the platform.

He hoped that it meant he'd be able to catch a glimpse of her as well. He wanted to see what this woman, who was fast capturing his heart, looked like. Beside him, Aro gave an irritated yip, as if he wanted Edward to divulge the letter's contents.

Edward bent down next to his dog. "Sorry boy, I think I'm going to leave you here for this trip. I might have a chance to see Bella and I don't want you scaring her." He rubbed Aro's neck affectionately. If ever a dog looked disappointed, Aro was showing it now, his head drooping as Edward spoke to him. "Next outing, I promise you'll come."

With that, Edward headed back to the house. The day was looking up.

**********

After checking multiple times to see that he had the correct station and time, Edward found himself walking up the steps to Oakridge Station, five minutes before the appointed time. Feeling a little strange, he scanned the available benches to see if anything had been left behind. Most of the benches were empty, except for one. A young woman and man were standing in front of it. The woman had her arms wrapped around the man and she was smiling up at him.

Trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, Edward watched the couple from the corner of his eye. The man was quite tall, probably as tall as he was or even more so. He had jet-black hair that was cropped fairly short and olive coloured skin. His shoulders were obscuring his view of the woman. All Edward could see of her was brown hair and a flash of pale, rose-tinted skin.

The horn of an approaching train sounded. The woman let go of the man, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Edward was able to get his first clear view of her face. What he saw took his breath away. Dark eyes matched her hair, set in a face that would have stopped any man in his tracks. Edward watched as her slender form stepped up and through the open doors of the train, sitting down near a window. The black-haired man waved goodbye, then left the platform.

Now that the last bench was free, Edward quickly went over to it. Sure enough, something had been left on it. Picking it up, he saw it was a book. _Random Harvest_. It wasn't a title that he was familiar with. Now, sure that the brunette was Bella, Edward glanced back at the window seat she was occupying. At that moment their eyes met.

Never before had Edward felt so strong a connection with anyone. He was unable to tear his gaze from her. Bella appeared to be equally entranced. The train lurched, beginning to move from the station platform. Unwilling to let go of the moment, Edward started to jog next to it. He held the book up for her to see. Bella's eyes widened at seeing the book in his hand, her mouth parting in surprise. The train picked up speed and Edward slowed to a stop, watching the train that was taking Bella with it, until it was out of sight.

He stayed on the platform for a long while, looking after the train that he could no longer see. His mind was whirling with the events that had just passed. He had imagined Bella's face countless times, but hadn't been prepared for just how beautiful she actually was. But who was that man she had been with? Bella had said that, in her time, she was single. Meaning that the man would be an ex-boyfriend. Edward found that he was resentful, no, jealous of a man he didn't even know. That man was able to talk to Bella, see her, touch her. Everything that Edward wanted to do but couldn't.

Looking down at the book in his hands, a small smile flickered on his lips. He had this at least, a small piece of her.

Tucking the book into his jacket, Edward walked down the stairs towards his car. He wasn't willing to put the book into the mailbox.

He would return it to her in person.

­

* * *

It was mid week before Bella was able to visit her old home again. She had spent the time wondering if Edward had been able to find the book she had left at the station two years ago. It was one of her favourites, and she'd been upset when she realized that, in typical fashion, she'd left it behind.

The drive to the house was quiet. Bella smiled happily when she saw that the mailbox flag was up. She ran to the mailbox, wanting to see if Edward had left the book in there as she'd asked.

When she opened the flap, she was disappointed to see that there was no book, but glad that there was a letter from Edward. Slitting it open, Bella read:

_Bella,_

_I did find the book as you asked. You left it on the _

_bench at the station. I know that you wanted me_

_to leave it in the mailbox for you, but I'm not_

_going to do that. The reason being is that I fully_

_intend to hand it over to you in person. And,_

_trust me, I'll do everything in my power to make_

_sure that happens._

_I don't know if you remember seeing me,_

_but I saw you, briefly. You never told me how_

_lovely you are. It makes this entire, bizarre_

_connection all the more difficult. I want so _

_badly to be able to talk to you and look at you. It_

_doesn't seem fair for us to be separated by two _

_years. _

_Did you know that I never saw a reason to put_

_a relationship ahead of my career? That is, I _

_never saw a reason until now. My work_

_is important to me. My brother would say that_

_I make it entirely too important. _

_Since knowing you, I can understand why _

_people would put a relationship first. There's_

_something in you that I haven't found in _

_anyone else. And that I don't think I will ever _

_find in anyone else. No one could possibly_

_be you._

_We will meet one day, Bella. I can feel it. _

_I'm waiting for that day. Until then, keep _

_writing. _

_Edward_

All the words she could have wanted for him to write were there on the page. They both thrilled her and filled her with anguish. Leaning against the mailbox, Bella thought about the impossibility of a relationship like theirs. Though she'd never met him, Bella knew Edward. His letters illustrated his character and she found he was someone she admired. He was someone unique, someone who was quickly becoming the most important person in her life.

He seemed so close to her, and yet he was so incredibly far. She wanted to believe him when he wrote that they would meet.

"Where can this go?" Bella asked aloud. "Why can we only talk through this mailbox? There must be some reason for it." Frustrated, she headed back to her car.

As she was opening the door, her cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she saw that it was Jake. After a moment's hesitation, Bella pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Bella, it's me, Jake. How are you?" Jacob's deep voice came across the line.

"Fine. What about you?"

"Good, I'm good. Listen, I know you're probably wondering why I'm calling."

"Well, yes, I am. What do you want?"

"I want to see you." He sounded earnest.

"Oh, Jake…I don't know…" Bella said slowly. She didn't think there was anything left to say between the two of them.

"Please, Bella. I know things didn't end well with us. I really want to talk to you. See you face to face. A quick coffee, please?"

Bella bit her lip. She figured that a coffee couldn't hurt. After all, she had always thought they would have been better as friends, rather than romantic partners.

"All right, Jake. I'll meet you for a coffee."

"Great! Are you free tomorrow?" Jacob sounded jubilant. They set up a time and place before Bella ended the conversation.

She sat down heavily in the car. Judging from the sound of his voice, Jacob seemed to be really looking forward to their meeting. Bella hoped he wouldn't try to reconcile with her. Her time with him had been pleasant enough, but something had been missing.

And now, she knew what that something was.

* * *

**A/N: If you made it down this far, yay! Press the "review" button and show me some love! :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**_Quick update eh? Unfortunately, I go back to work on Monday so it may be a while again. :( I apologize for my incredible inconsistencies in posting! I can't guarantee a schedule as I'll never keep to it. :P Though you'll be happy(?) to know that I have already started chapter 9...  
_**

**_I reached 20 reviews for the last chapter! Woo-hoo! A new record for this story, thanks so very much to those of you who took the time to comment! Much love.  
_**

**_I had the best time writing this chapter and I have to say, I like it alot! Here's hoping that you do too!_**

**_I actually watched _Il Mare_, the Korean movie that _The Lake House_ is based on. It's not quite the same and with a very different ending. I'd recommend checking it out!  
_**

**_This chap is all in Bella's POV._**

**_THANK YOU to katmom for her amazingly quick beta-ing! And for her confidence-giving words for this chapter! _**

**_

* * *

_Across the Years – Chapter 8**

"I'm glad you agreed to meet with me."

Bella was sitting at a coffee shop with Jacob. He was waiting for her at a table when she arrived. His jet-black hair was cropped short and he was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and sweater. Judging from his smile, he seemed genuinely happy to see her. To be honest, it was nice to see him again too.

"How have you been, Jake?" Bella asked, cupping her hands around her paper coffee cup.

"Oh, you know, the usual daily grind. Nothing much has changed in that area. How about you? What have you been up to?"

"Pretty much the same." Bella smiled wryly. "Not the most exciting of people, are we?"

Jacob laughed at that. "No, I suppose not." His expression turned more serious. "I've missed you, Bella."

His proclamation made Bella uneasy. While she was happy to meet with him as friends, she didn't want to be in a relationship with him again. She liked him and they got along well, but there was no spark.

"Jake…"

"No, hear me out," Jacob interrupted her. Which was just as well, Bella wasn't sure what she was going to say anyway. "I know that I pushed too hard before. If you need space, I can give that to you. Just, can we give things another shot?"

"Jacob, I don't know. Do you really think that we really went well together? I mean, you seemed so certain of everything when it came to…us. Doing all those things for me…Don't get me wrong, it was incredibly sweet and thoughtful but sometimes…a little too much."

"What was 'a little too much' exactly?" Jacob asked, leaning towards her with a wary look.

"All of it!" Bella exclaimed. "Getting me quotes for the house by the sea. Planning out our future together when we'd only known each other for a month! Surprise parties…when I told you I didn't want the fuss."

At the mention of the party, Jacob's eyes narrowed. "You mean the birthday party? I thought it would be a nice thing for you."

"It was Jake, it was an unbelievably thoughtful thing to do, and anyone other than me would've loved it. I'm not that kind of person though. I hate being the center of attention."

"Actually, if I remember correctly, you rather enjoyed yourself at that party." Jacob's expression turned to a frown. "Whatever happened to that guy?"

"What guy?" Bella asked, though she knew full well who he was referring to.

"The one I caught you making out with outside of the house."

"We weren't 'making out'!" Bella insisted.

"Then what would you call it?"

"Just a kiss. One kiss with a guy who was trying to cheer me up." Bella's thoughts traveled back to that night from over two years ago. She hadn't known who the man was and she'd been just as surprised as Jake had been when she found herself kissing a complete stranger.

*************

**2007**

It had been a long, tiring day at work for Bella. Her cases had been grueling. They always were when she was dealing with children and sexual abuse. All she wanted was to go home and try and forget the events of the day.

Jake had called earlier in the day, asking her to come over to his place. Seeing as it was her birthday, Bella had, reluctantly, agreed to go over. She sincerely hoped that he had listened to her about not wanting a big to-do. The last thing she wanted today was to be surrounded by people.

She stopped in quickly at her apartment to freshen up before heading over to Jake's. A feeling of dread washed over her as she pulled up to Jake's townhouse. The number of cars lining the street in front and across from the house were indicative of a surprise party.

Bella cut the engine, but kept the keys in the ignition as if she was going to start the car again. She resisted the urge to bolt, forcing herself to get out of the car and walk up the steps to Jake's door.

Taking a deep breath, Bella rang the door bell.

"It's open!" She could hear Jake's muffled voice yell behind the door. Taking hold of the handle, Bella pushed open the door to be greeted with darkness. Slowly she stepped into the house, closing the door behind her.

With a growing sense of anxiety, she felt around for the light switch. Once she located it, she flicked it on. She squinted at the brightness then saw a large group of people gathered in the living room. Jacob, who was wearing a smug look, was at the front of the group.

"Surprise!" They all cried in unison. Bella pasted a smile onto her face and tried her best to look excited as she scanned the people before her. Most of them were acquaintances and somewhat familiar. Her smile turned genuine when she spotted Alice in the crowd. Then her eyes fell on a man she hadn't seen before, and yet he looked oddly familiar.

A pair of deep green eyes was focused on her with a searching look. When their gazes met, Bella felt her heart begin to beat faster. She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she stared at the stranger. All too soon he was obscured from her view by her boyfriend.

"Happy Birthday, Bells," Jacob said, stepping up to her and giving her a quick kiss. He slung an arm around her shoulders. "What do you think?" He asked, gesturing towards the party.

"It's great, Jake. Quite a…surprise," Bella managed to say, hoping she sounded thrilled. She wondered if he ever really listened to anything she said. There might be some girls who swore they hated a big fuss when secretly they loved it, but she wasn't one of them. A quiet dinner with just the two of them would have suited her more.

Jacob's smile broadened. "Oh, I want to introduce you to a few folks." He ushered her towards the green-eyed man and a very pretty strawberry-blonde woman next to him. "Bella, this is Edward and his friend, Tanya."

"It's my pleasure to meet you, Bella," Edward said, offering his hand. Bella reached out to take it. The shock of electricity that traveled up her arm when their skin made contact made her eyes open wide. He was looking intently at her; it seemed almost as if he'd never seen a woman before. All Bella could see was the green of his eyes. She felt as if she were drowning in them.

"It's nice to meet you." Tanya's voice brought Bella back to the party.

"I met Edward earlier today," Jacob explained. "He said he might have a lead on a nice house by the sea for us."

"Oh, that's great," Bella said weakly. Jacob had brought up the idea of eventually moving in together, but she hadn't had the faintest idea that he'd already been making inquiries about homes. It irritated her that he didn't hear her when she said she wanted to think about it.

She glanced back at Edward, whose gaze was still fixed on her. Normally this kind of behavior would make her uneasy, however she sensed there was nothing malicious about the way he was looking at her. Strangely, she felt drawn to him.

"Bella! I haven't had a chance to talk to you at all!" Alice's cheery voice broke in. "Can I steal her away for a few?"

"Yes," Bella answered, slipping out from under Jacob's arm. The two girls went into the kitchen which was empty.

"How are you doing?" Alice asked, once they were alone.

"Fine, fine. It's sweet of Jake to do this, isn't it?"

"Sure. Except I know you, and I know you hate being made a big deal of. I thought Jake would know that."

"Jake hears what he wants to hear, I think," Bella remarked. "When did you find out about it?"

"About a week ago. I would've warned you but Jake swore me to secrecy. He seemed so excited about it…"

"I know. Don't worry about it, Alice. Really, what kind of girl wouldn't want her boyfriend to throw a big party for her birthday?"

"Well, it's not for everyone. Hey, who was that guy you were just talking to?"

"Some new acquaintance of Jake's named Edward. Why?"

"Because he's gorgeous and he was looking at you like you were a lottery prize, that's why. Have you met him before?"

"No." Bella didn't mention the feeling of déjà vu that had come over here when she'd first seen him. "We should probably get back out to the party." Her martyr-like tone made Alice laugh.

"Since it's a done deal, try to have some fun," she advised as they left the solitude of the kitchen.

**********

Bella slipped out the back door to sit on the porch. She breathed a sigh of relief. Two hours of small talk with her party guests had been her limit and she needed a break. It was a cool night and she hadn't brought her jacket out, but she didn't want to go back into the house to get it.

She had been alone for a few minutes when she heard the door open and close behind her. Assuming it was Jacob, Bella felt the pricklings of annoyance at the intrusion on her privacy. Before she could turn around, something warm and heavy was placed over her shoulders. Bella looked down at an unknown tan-coloured coat. Confused, Bella glanced up to see Edward standing beside her.

"Sorry, it's just that you looked a little cold." He smiled at her. Bella grinned back as she thrust her arms into the sleeves of the jacket, inexplicably pleased to see him. "May I join you?" His voice was deep and completely masculine, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

"Yes." Bella scooted over so he could sit down beside her. Although she'd come out to be alone, she found she rather liked the fact Edward had come out to join her. With him now so close to her, she was able to really see his features. What she saw literally took her breath away.

Along with his beautiful emerald eyes, Edward was blessed with high cheekbones, a finely sculpted nose and a strong jaw line. His skin was rather pale and completely devoid of any blemishes. She had already known he was tall, but sitting next to him, she could sense an underlying strength in his frame. His otherwise put together appearance was contradicted by a wild head of reddish-brown hair.

Following her gaze, Edward's smile turned sheepish. "I know, my hair is crazy. I can't seem to do anything to make it look any more tame."

"I like it," Bella said. It was true; she thought it added to his attractiveness, not to mention she was dying to know what it felt like under her fingers. She bent her head down, as if scared that Edward was able to read her thoughts. What was wrong with her anyway? She had a boyfriend.

"Are you enjoying the party?" he asked after a short silence.

"I'm pretty obvious, huh?" Bella laughed.

"People usually don't leave their birthday parties," Edward commented.

"I didn't want a big deal made out of it. Jake…well he's Jake. I know he meant well." Bella sighed. "I sound ungrateful. It was a nice thing for him to do."

"It would be, if you liked that sort of thing, which you don't seem to."

They fell silent again, until Bella spoke up. "Are you really going to find us a house?"

"If I can. Jacob was saying how you've always wanted to live by the sea."

"Hmm..." Bella's response was short. She did want to live by the sea, just not with Jacob.

"Bella…" Edward paused for a moment before continuing, "have you ever heard of a book called _Random Harvest_, by James Hilton?"

Bella turned to stare at him. How was it that he had mentioned her favourite novel and movie in the world? It wasn't very well known today, having been published back in the 1940s.

"You know that story?" she asked, shocked. "It's my favourite book."

"Sort of… What do you like about it?" He seemed almost anxious to hear what she would say.

"There's something so romantic about it," she said, dreamily. "Two people who are meant for each other, but face an almost impossible obstacle."

Edward's expression had turned bemused as she spoke. "You like that they face an impossible obstacle? It sounds terrible. Wouldn't it be easier for them to be together without all the drama?"

"Of course it would," Bella said. "But it would make for a boring story, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so," Edward chuckled. "So, do they overcome this obstacle?"

"Yes, but they go through a lot of angst in the meantime. I love that they eventually find each other. That it was all worth it in the end."

"That does make for a nice ending." Edward was looking at her so meaningfully, as he said this that Bella had to look away. Inwardly she was amazed that this near stranger seemed to be so interested in her. It was as if he was trying to commit her to memory, what with the way he kept looking at her. It was more disconcerting to find that she welcomed his attention. She wasn't the type to try and flirt with random men.

"I should probably go back in," Bella murmured, reluctantly rising to her feet. Edward stood with her.

"Wait…I…this song…" Edward ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Would you dance with me, Bella?" The lilting notes of a popular ballad drifted through the walls of the house to them.

Panic instantly set in as soon as Edward uttered the word 'dance.' Bella was the classical description of someone with two left feet.

"I can't dance. I…I'm not the most coordinated person," she stammered. Edward came up close to her. He took one of her arms, placing it on his shoulder and took her other hand in his own. He wound his free arm around her waist, under the jacket. To her surprise, he lifted her slightly, letting her back down to stand on his own feet.

"Now you don't have to worry. Just follow me," he told her in a low tone. Edward pulled her closer and began moving gently to the music.

Bella was stiff at first, but gradually relaxed as Edward moved them around the back porch. Standing this close to him, she could feel the heat from his body warming her own and she could smell the scent coming off of him: A combination of soap, fresh laundry and a hint of cologne. It swirled around her, playing havoc with her senses.

Since Edward was taking care of the dancing, Bella was able to focus more on this man who was holding her. What was it about him that she found so fascinating? Moreover, why did she find him so arresting when she barely knew anything about him?

She tried to remind herself that she had a boyfriend. That he was in the house, with her party, while she was outside dancing with a virtual stranger. One who was evoking emotions in her that Jake had never been able to elicit from her.

As the dance went on, Bella became more and more aware of Edward's body against hers. She felt herself flushing and probably would have been trembling if it weren't for the firm grasp that Edward had on her. Without thinking, she laid her head against his shoulder, noting that she barely came up to his chin. Edward continued to sway them softly to the music. Bella didn't want the song to end, knowing that all this would be over too soon.

The trance she was in was broken when Edward set her lightly on her own feet. A feeling of disappointment quickly dissipated when she looked up to find his piercing green eyes focused first on her. As he brought his hands up to cup her face, his gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. Bella's breath started to come faster when she realized that he was bringing his head down to hers. Her eyes fluttered closed and she lifted her face up towards him.

His lips touched hers lightly, but even that gentle contact made Bella's legs start to feel like jell-o. She could feel Edward's thumbs stroking her cheeks as his mouth softly explored hers. When she felt his tongue probing, seeking entrance, she parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

All rational thought left flew out of Bella's mind. All she could feel was Edward; all she could concentrate on was the sensation of his mouth moving on hers. He had taken his hands from her face so that one was holding the back of her head and the other was pulling her more tightly against him as his lips continued to plunder her own. Bella forgot about Jacob, and the fact she was at her birthday party. The only thing she knew was that she'd never been kissed this way before. That no one had ever made her feel this way before.

"Bella!" The sound of Jake's shocked voice burst into her haze. She abruptly broke off the kiss to find both Jacob and Tanya staring at her and Edward. Edward's arms fell to his side, a tortured expression on his face, as they stepped back from each other.

Guilt washed over Bella when she saw the look of stunned hurt on Jacob's face. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened and she couldn't bring herself to look at Edward. He must think she routinely went around kissing strangers she'd just met.

"Edward, I think we should go," Tanya stated quietly. Bella could sense he was looking at her but her eyes stayed on the ground before her.

"Right… Happy Birthday, Bella," Edward said, his voice sounding conflicted. He nodded to Jake then went back into the house with Tanya following behind.

"What was that?" Jacob asked flatly when they were alone. "Did you two know each other from before?"

"No…I…he was just…" Bella stopped talking; realizing that anything she said would sound irrational. She fell to studying her hands, which were barely peeping out from the long sleeves of Edward's jacket. "Oh, no!" Dismayed, she left an upset Jacob to run into the house and out the front door. Just as she stepped onto the lawn, she saw a truck pulling away from the curb.

Bella pulled the coat more tightly around herself, watching as the truck turned a corner and disappeared from sight. She wondered if she'd ever see him again.

*****************

2009

Bella came out of her reminiscence to see Jacob observing her with a wary look.

"Reliving good times?" he inquired stiffly.

"Jake, can we stop talking about this? I mean, we beat it to death two years ago. He was just a blip and I don't want to think about it anymore." Bella's tone had turned weary.

"You're right," Jacob said after a short pause. "We'll leave it behind us where it belongs… in the past." He reached out to take her hands in his. "Think about what I said, Bella. It's been a year since I saw you and seeing you again makes me realize what I've been missing."

The sincerity in his words was obvious. Bella didn't have the heart to say 'no' out right.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll think about it, Jake."

****************

After she left the coffee shop, Bella opted to take a walk before getting back into the car. It was a sunny day and she was close to Granville Island, a favourite spot of hers.

As she walked along the pier, her thoughts went back to that birthday party and the stranger she'd met. Edward. Bella stopped in her tracks.

Edward… Of the reddish-brown hair. Actually, copper would have been a more apt description. Copper, like a penny and stuck out in all directions, as the coffee shop owner had said.

"Edward Cullen," Bella said aloud as realization dawned on her. "Oh, God, it's not possible."

How had it taken her this long to put two and two together? It hadn't occurred to her that the Edward she wrote to and the Edward from the party could have been the same person.

It made more sense now, the overpowering attraction to him; the feeling of being home when he held her in his arms.

Practically shaking with excitement, Bella ran back to her car, intending to get to the mailbox as quickly as she could.

* * *

**A/N: Want to know what happens next? So do I! :) Next up will be Edward's perspective of the same night (going against my I-won't-repeat-chapters-in-different-POVs philosophy, oh well!)**


	10. Chapter 9

_**Hi all! And welcome to chapter 9! This is basically chapter 8 in Edward's POV.**_

_**it's also the last chapter I wrote prior to returning to work (my break is over...sad) so it may be a while before I update again...so sorry! Life as a teacher is hectic.**_

_**Great hugs and thanks to katmom for being a great beta! Her own amazing story **_**Guarding Edward**_** is sadly at an end! Go check it out now! I'm hoping for many epilogues...**_

_**Thanks to all of you who reviewed/favourited/alerted this story! I really do appreciate it! If you leave a signed review I will reply.  
**_

_**If you like you can follow me on twitter (yes, I'm that self-obsessed). http://twitter(dot)com/A_Mayes I update my story progress on it.**_

_**Happy reading!**_

_**

* * *

**_**Across the Years - Chapter 9  
**

Edward was staring at the most recent letter from Bella; immersed in a feeling that was rather foreign to him. It was a combination of longing and love that engulfed and had held him since he first set eyes on her. Never having truly been in love before, Edward was at something of a loss at how to handle these new emotions.

Bella consumed his thoughts at almost every time of the day. Often he found himself brooding over whether or not she'd ever become a reality for him. Physically seeing her had definitely been a turning point for him. Not only because of her beauty, but also owing to the fact that seeing her had confirmed that she actually existed.

It was the most unconventional relationship he had ever been in, and yet it was also the most significant one. He twisted his mouth at that sad truth. This woman, who essentially existed only on paper, had become the most vital part of his life.

He took great comfort from the knowledge that Bella appeared to feel the same way about him. It made the situation somewhat more bearable.

He looked at the sheet in his hands. As was his habit, he had read it over multiple times. This letter was one of his most treasured as it showed that Bella reciprocated his feelings.

_Edward,_

_Thank you for going to all the trouble to get _

_that book for me. I don't know if you've _

_read it but it's one of my favourites. One _

_day, I hope I can tell you why. It would take_

_too long to try and write it out._

_You've seen me, and I so wish that_

_I could have seen you. I have a vague _

_memory of a man waving a book at me._

_I'm assuming that it was you. I couldn't_

_see your face clearly._

_Edward, did you mean everything you_

_wrote in your last letter? I dearly hope so_

_because it's the same way that I feel_

_about you._

_My last relationship ended because I _

_couldn't fully commit to him. There was_

_always something missing. It was _

_indefinable but there. _

_I know we've only communicated_

_through letters, but sometimes, when I_

_read them, I feel like you're here with _

_me. You're closer to me than anyone_

_I've ever met and at the same time, you're_

_so incredibly far._

_I hope you're right and that we will_

_meet one day. I'll echo what you wrote_

_in that I want so badly to be able to talk_

_with you and feel you beside me._

_I can't wait to hear from you again,_

_Bella_

After reading it over one last time, Edward forced himself to put it away in the drawer he reserved for all of Bella's letters. Aro came trotting up to him and laid his head on Edward's thigh.

"You miss her too, don't you boy?" Edward absently stroked Aro's golden head. "Sitting around won't get us anywhere. Ready to go scout out the location for our latest project?" Aro perked up slightly, following Edward out of the bedroom and to the front door.

***********

Needing to pick up a few items from his office, Edward had stopped by, bringing Aro with him.

He was surprised to see a woman, with strawberry blond hair, standing in his doorway. She turned towards him at hearing his footsteps as he approached her.

"Edward!" she cried out, happily. A wide smile appeared on her pretty face.

"Tanya…what are you doing here?"

"You're nearly impossible to get a hold of. So I thought I'd come over to you instead. I hope it's not too much of a bother?"

"No…though I'll be heading out in a few minutes. I only stopped by to pick up some blueprints. What did you need?"

"Remember, I asked you to let me know about the play by Wednesday? That's today."

"Oh, right. I'm so sorry, Tanya. It completely skipped my mind. Is it all right if I take a rain check? I'm pretty bogged down with work at the moment." He felt guilty when he saw her face fall. Tanya was a nice girl, and attractive. She deserved someone who would give her his undivided attention. He wasn't that someone.

"I figured as much, but thought I'd give it a try anyway," Tanya said, her blue eyes filled with disappointment. "Where are you off to?"

"Kitsilano, near the beach. There's a project I'm working on there."

"Would you mind dropping me off then? I'm pretty close to that area."

Seeing as how he'd turned down her offer of the play, Edward decided it was the least he could do.

"Sure."

Tanya smiled then and fell in step with him towards the door.

**************

Edward parked the car at a construction site close to Kitsilano Beach.

"Thanks for agreeing to stop by here first, Tanya. I really needed to get a look at this place as soon as possible."

"No problem, Edward. I don't mind at all." The intimation of her perpetual attraction to him hung in the air, making him uncomfortable.

Edward had barely begun surveying the site when Aro suddenly gave a sharp bark and careened down the road.

"Aro! Get back here!" Edward shouted. Momentarily forgetting about Tanya, he took off after his dog, wondering what had set him off. Aro never ran off on his own.

The retriever kept on running, keeping Edward chasing after him for a good three blocks. Eventually, Aro stopped on the lawn of a brick townhouse. A black-haired man was standing on the driveway, next to a car that contained several cases of beer. He was holding one in his arms.

"Finally!" Edward panted, out of breath as he pulled up beside his dog. "What were you running after, boy?" He leaned down to drag Aro back from the man's feet.

"This your dog?" The man asked, looking admiringly at Aro.

"Yes. Sorry, I hope he wasn't bothering you. He doesn't usually take off like that."

"No bother. Looks like he gave you some exercise. I'm Jacob Black. I should get a dog like that. My girlfriend loves them."

"Edward Cullen. Nice place you've got here. Say," Edward's brow furrowed. "Have we met before?"

"I don't think so," Jacob replied, shifting the box in his hands.

"Need a hand with that?" Edward offered.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Jacob accepted. The two men started up the steps to the house. "So, you live around here?"

"No, I'm around Horseshoe Bay, in a seaside house. I'm out here for work."

"Seaside? Sounds great!" Jacob put his case down in the kitchen with Edward following suit. "Listen, I'm going to give you my card. If you know of any houses for rent around your area would you let me know? My girlfriend has always wanted to live by the sea."

"Sure, of course." Edward took the proffered card.

"Edward! Oh good, I found you." Tanya came running into view, her cheeks pink from running.

"Jacob, this is Tanya. Tanya, Jacob." Edward made the customary introductions.

"Nice to meet you. Say, if you two aren't busy Saturday night, you're both welcome to come to a party I'm planning. That's what all this beer is for," Jacob said, gesturing to all the cases. "It's for Bella's birthday."

Bella. Edward's head snapped up. "Your girlfriend's name is Bella?" he asked, a little too eagerly.

"Yes…Bella Swan. Do you know her?" Jacob asked, looking puzzled.

"No, it's just…a nice name." Edward stood looking at the house with a faraway expression on his face. In a few short days he was going to have the opportunity to meet with Bella, face to face. He could hardly believe his luck.

"Edward, we should get going," Tanya said, disturbing his thoughts.

"Yes. You're right. It was good to meet you, Jacob."

"Likewise," Jacob nodded. "The party's at seven if you're interested."

"Great!" Edward grinned. He was finding it difficult to contain his excitement. Looking at Tanya he asked, "So, are you interested in going to the party?"

**********

The two short days leading to Saturday passed excruciatingly slowly for Edward. Work held no interest for him, and he was really just there for appearances. By the time Saturday rolled around he had taken to looking at the clock every five minutes, willing it to go faster.

He tried different things to distract himself. From jogging with Aro, to working on the designs for his latest project, to watching inane reality shows on TV. Nothing really worked. During each of the activities Edward would constantly be glancing at his watch.

The day dragged on until finally, it came time for him to leave for Bella's party. Having showered and dressed far in advance, he was more than ready to go. He had agreed to pick Tanya up on the way to Jacob's house.

Edward felt somewhat guilty about going with Tanya to the party. But Jacob had invited the both of them, and Tanya had seemed pleased to attend. He worried that she was going to get the wrong idea and that fact didn't sit well with him. Loose ends and grey areas were not things he liked.

However, those troublesome thoughts were easily overshadowed by his anticipation for the upcoming evening. Checking his appearance one more time in the mirror, and frowning at his unmanageable hair, Edward bid goodbye to Aro and exited his house.

Edward focused on not flying down the road, figuring that a speeding ticket wouldn't be the best way to start off the evening. Though he was itching to go faster, he kept himself in check until he rounded the corner that led to Tanya's house.

"Hi, Edward!" she greeted him with enthusiasm as she got into the car. She looked very attractive in a loose fitting top and tight, black slacks.

"Hi, Tanya," Edward returned.

"You look good," she commented. Edward had selected his outfit with uncharacteristic care, not usually being concerned with the latest trends. However, knowing he'd be seeing Bella, he had dressed in dark, blue jeans, and an off-white, long-sleeved ribbed t-shirt. He wore his usual tan jacket over top it all. He had wanted to look casual but presentable at the same time.

"Thanks, so do you."

Tanya smiled. "Glad to have you notice. What made you decide to go to this party?"

"What do you mean?" Edward asked, cautiously.

"Well, it's hard to get you to go anywhere. I'm just surprised you wanted to go, considering you just met that guy."

"I guess I thought it was time I branched out more," Edward remarked, as he parked in front of Jacob's house. "Shall we?"

They walked up to the front door and knocked. It opened to reveal Jacob, who smiled widely.

"Glad you two could make it! Come on in, she should be here any minute." Noticing that the house was rather dark, Edward looked at Jacob questioningly. "It's a surprise party. She has no idea." Jacob grinned.

"That's so sweet!" Tanya exclaimed. Jacob ushered them to the living room where a large group of people were already assembled.

Presently, he could hear another car pull up. Jacob peeked out the window. "It's her!" Steps sounded on the front walk followed by the doorbell ringing.

"It's open!" Jacob called. The door opened slowly. Edward wasn't aware that he was holding his breath as he waited. After some fumbling, the light switch turned on to reveal the brunette Edward had seen at the train platform. She was even more exquisite close up.

"Surprise!" The crowd cried, taking their cue from the brightness that flooded the room. Bella smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. Her gaze roamed over the horde of people, the smile staying glued to her lips. Edward couldn't stop staring at her; his pen pal come to life. When her brown eyes spotted him they widened slightly; a rosy blush stained her cheeks as she continued to look at him.

His view of her was blocked when Jacob stepped forward to wish her a happy birthday. The black-haired man brought her over to Edward and Tanya to make introductions.

"Bella, this is Edward and his friend, Tanya."

"It's my pleasure to meet you, Bella," Edward said, holding his hand out. He had never meant those words more than he did at this moment. Bella put her small hand into his larger one, causing a shock of feeling to race up his arm. Edward saw his astonishment mirrored on her face; their gazes locked once again.

"It's nice to meet you," Tanya spoke up beside him, interrupting their interlude. Reluctantly, Edward let go of Bella's hand, dropping his own down to his sides.

"I met Edward earlier this week," Jacob explained, looking lovingly at Bella. "He said he might have a lead on a nice house by the sea for us."

Edward noticed that Bella's face took on a distressed look as she listened to Jacob.

"Oh, that's great." Bella tried to look pleased but her words sounded faint.

Considering it was something she apparently wanted, she didn't seem thrilled at the news. She glanced at him again, making Edward aware that he had been openly gaping at her. A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"Bella! I haven't had a chance to talk to you at all!" A tiny, spiky-haired girl flitted over to them. "Can I steal her away for a few?"

The question was obviously rhetorical, so Edward resisted the urge to yell 'no'. Instead, he quietly watched the two girls walk off towards the kitchen. Jacob excused himself and went to welcome some latecomers.

"She seems nice," Tanya commented, making him remember that she was at the party too. "They go well together, don't they?"

"I guess. Though she didn't seem too excited about the seaside house."

"Maybe the news just caught her off guard. Any girl would love all the trouble he's going to. She's very lucky." Something in Tanya's voice made Edward look at her. "Edward, I wish you…" she trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind… I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?" At his refusal, Tanya went off to find herself some refreshment.

Edward noticed Bella and her friend emerge from the kitchen. Bella went to greet some other guests while the spiky-haired girl scanned the room. Seeing Edward, she smiled and came up beside him.

"Hi, we haven't met. I'm Alice, a friend of Bella's." Her friendly demeanor was impossible to not like.

"Edward. I actually just met Jacob a few days ago."

"Oh, so you don't know Bella?" Alice sounded surprised.

"No…why do you ask?" Edward was curious.

"The way you were looking at each other, it seemed like you had met before. In any case, I get good vibes from you." Alice grinned impishly up at him.

"Thanks," Edward laughed, liking this girl more by the second. "So, did you help set this all up for Bella?"

"No," she said, her grin fading. "Actually, I told Jake she wouldn't want this but, typical man, he didn't listen. Oh!" Alice looked embarrassed. "Sorry, no offense meant. I like to generalize."

"None taken," Edward assured her. "Though why do you say she wouldn't want this?"

"Bella doesn't like being the center of attention. She hates it actually. Not that she's a hermit or anything. Parties are fine, so long as they're not about her. All this," Alice gestured around to the throng of guests, "is probably stressing her out."

"I didn't know that."

"Of course you wouldn't. But Jake should. He-" Alice paused. "I'm not sure why I'm telling you all this. You must be bored with my babbling!"

"No, really. Go on, what were you going to say?"

"He doesn't get her. Bella, like any girl, needs someone who'll understand her and Jake isn't it."

***********

The evening went on with Edward and Tanya making small talk with people around them. Edward was constantly aware of where Bella was, but was unable to get close to her. He noticed that she looked more and more weary as the night wore on until he saw her slip out the back door.

Hastily, he excused himself from his current conversation, not wanting to pass up an opportunity to speak with Bella, alone. He didn't know when he'd have another chance like this.

Edward found her sitting on the porch steps, shivering slightly in the cool night air. Taking his coat off, he placed it around her shoulders. Bella looked up, surprised at the action.

"Sorry, it's just that you looked a little cold," Edward explained, smiling at her. Bella smiled back, with one of the first genuine smiles he'd seen on her face all evening. He watched her put her arms into the sleeves of his coat, feeling immeasurably pleased as she did so. "May I join you?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation, moving over to make room for him.

Edward sat down and gave himself over to studying her features. Her skin was on the paler side but with a rosy tint to it. Her face was oval in shape and she had full, entirely kissable lips. Her neck was long and graceful. Edward knew she was slender, though it was hidden by his jacket. However, it was her eyes that caught his attention the most. A dark, deep brown…the colour of melted chocolate. He felt himself getting lost in their depths.

He wanted to tell her everything he knew about her; about how they'd met, the letters they wrote to each other, to tell her about how she made him feel alive.

Obviously she would think he was crazy if he told her that her 2009-self communicated with him through a mailbox. So he contented himself with simply being near her.

Bella appeared to be examining him as well. He discerned her gaze go up to his hair at which point he gave a wry grin. "I know, my hair is crazy. I can't seem to do anything to make it tamer."

It brought her eyes back to his face. "I like it," she said, shyly. Then, she ducked her head, but not before Edward saw a blush come over her cheeks. He felt himself falling deeper under her spell.

"Are you enjoying the party?" he ventured. Bella turned to him again with a grimace.

"I'm pretty obvious, huh?" she laughed. The sound of it was like music.

"People usually don't leave their own birthday parties."

"I didn't want a big deal made out of it. Jake…well he's Jake. I know he meant well." Bella's face was expressionless. "I sound ungrateful. It was a nice thing for him to do."

"It would be, if you liked that sort of thing, which you don't seem to."

"Are you really going to find us a house?" The words came out sounding tentative.

"If I can. Jacob was saying how you've always wanted to live by the sea."

"Hmm..." Because Edward was hyper-aware of the woman beside him, he could see and hear the lack of enthusiasm she had for the idea. Strange, considering she that when she had first written to him she had mentioned how much she enjoyed living there.

To change the topic, Edward brought up the book he had found at the train station. Bella appeared amazed by the fact he knew it at all.

"What do you like about it?" he asked, anxious to hear her answer. He hadn't had the time to read the novel or watch the movie based on it.

Bella looked wistful. "There's something so romantic about it. Two people who are meant for each other, but face an almost impossible obstacle."

She could have been describing their exact situation, if only she were aware of it.

"Wouldn't it be easier for them to be together without all the drama?" he pondered, wishing that there were no such barriers for Bella and himself.

"Of course it would. But it would make for a boring story wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so," Edward laughed at her assessment. "So, do they overcome this obstacle?"

"Yes, but they go through a lot of angst in the meantime. I love that they eventually find each other. That it was all worth it in the end."

"That _does_ make for a nice ending." He looked straight into her eyes as he said it. While he had loved the letters Bella had sent, the reality of her was so much more incredible. Everything about her drew him in, her appealing nature, the delicate beauty she possessed.

He didn't want to think about what he would do once this evening was over. If it were a normal situation he would make sure they would meet again somehow, despite Jacob being in her life.

Edward knew that this wasn't a possibility and was trying to burn the memory of her into his mind. He noticed Bella's face seemed flushed under his intense gaze. She touched her neck self consciously as she rose to her feet.

"I should probably go back in," she stated, her voice laced with regret.

Desperate to have more time with her, Edward tried to think of a way to stop her from going back into the house. Then he heard the well-known notes of a popular love song coming from the house.

"Wait…I…this song," he began, stopping when he heard himself stuttering like a fool. Bella had paused and was looking at him with some confusion.

Annoyed at himself, he ran a hand through his already unkempt hair. "Would you dance with me, Bella?"

At his question, Bella looked alarmed. "I can't dance. I…I'm not the most coordinated person."

Edward hid a smile. It didn't matter to him if she spent the dance stomping on his foot. She was so slight he doubted he'd even feel it. Ignoring her stammers, he approached her, taking one of her hands and placing it on his shoulder. He linked his other arm around her waist, delighting in the feel of her body so close to his.

Deciding to make this as easy as possible for Bella, he picked her up and set her on the top of his own feet. "Now you don't have to worry. Just follow me," he murmured into her ear and began moving them to the music.

Bella held herself rather rigidly at first, but grew more comfortable as the dance progressed. Edward could hardly believe this was happening, that she was here in his arms. He had imagined this moment with her for so long.

Gradually, he drew her closer as the dance continued. She felt so right in his embrace, like she was made for him. When she leaned her head against him, his pulse quickened and he could feel the stirrings of desire within him. Edward rested his cheek on her soft, silky hair, noting the subtle floral scent that emanated from her.

The song came to an end too soon and Edward pulled back, intending to thank her for the dance by giving her a friendly hug. Thoughts of behaving himself went out the window when he saw that her lips were slightly parted and her breathing had quickened. Instead, he brought his hands up to touch the smooth skin of her jaw, his gaze fixed on Bella's lips.

He bent down to graze her mouth, suppressing a groan at finally being able to feel her this way. When his tongue lightly sought entrance to her mouth, Bella willingly gave it, at which point a searing heat surged through him, taking with it what control he had left.

Needing her closer, Edward took his hands from her face, clamping one around her waist, while the other held her head to his, as if he were afraid she would fall away from him. He felt Bella's arms wind their way around his neck as he kept on with his attack of her lips. She was intoxicating, her body warm and pliant in his arms. Edward's senses were full of only her. He knew he'd never be able to get enough of her.

"Bella!" The outraged voice of Jacob Black pierced through his consciousness. Bella gasped against his lips, pushing herself away from him. Edward turned to see both Jacob and Tanya staring at them in shock.

Glancing back at Bella, he saw guilt flash over her features as she lowered her head. He wished there was some way to make the situation better, yet knew there was nothing he could do.

"Edward, I think we should go," Tanya said to him. Edward nodded.

"Right…Happy Birthday, Bella." He didn't bother saying anything to Jacob, knowing that his departure was all the other man would want.

Throwing a last glance at Bella, Edward made a swift exit through the back door and didn't stop until he was out on the front walkway.

"Do you want to explain what just happened?" Tanya asked quietly once they were outside.

"No." What could he say that could make the situation any better? Edward exhaled noisily, rubbing his face. "I'm sorry, Tanya. I don't know what to say. Can I take you home?"

"Okay." She sounded resigned.

The short drive to Tanya's was uncomfortably silent. When they reached the house Edward put the car into park.

"I really am sorry, Tanya. I don't know if it helps at all to say it."

Tanya was still, her hand on the door handle. After another awkward pause she shifted to face him.

"It doesn't, but thanks anyway. Edward…" She bit her lip. "I know now why you couldn't love me. You were waiting for her." Tanya looked at him, and Edward could see her eyes brimming with tears. It felt like a punch to the stomach to see her in pain. He hadn't meant to hurt her.

"Goodbye." She leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek before letting herself out of the car.

"Tanya…" Edward called, starting after her.

"No, it's all right. Don't come out and try to say something nice, it'll only make things worse." She gave him a shaky smile. "Good luck, I hope she's worth it." Tanya whirled about, running to the front door of her house.

Edward stayed where he was, half in and half out of the car, watching until she had closed the door behind herself. Once she was safely inside, he slowly seated himself and began the journey back to his house.

He arrived home, automatically glancing at the mailbox as he got out of the car. The flag was still down. Once inside, he let Aro out and reflected on the evening.

He felt terrible about the way he'd treated Tanya. She didn't deserve what had happened. But he couldn't help thinking about what she'd said, _"I know why you couldn't love me. You were waiting for her."_ Was that why Tanya, or any other woman, had never been able to hold his interest? Had he been waiting for Bella to come along?

His mind wandered back to the party. Bella was truly a beautiful woman. It was a miracle that she wasn't already involved with someone else in 2009. He indulged himself by remembering the feel of her lips, moving perfectly against his.

Why would fate have it so that he would fall in love with a woman he couldn't reach? He couldn't try and pursue her in his time…he wasn't sure what repercussions it would have on the Bella he was writing to. Something told him it couldn't be done.

"Goddamn it!" he shouted, slamming his hands down on the countertop. He needed someone to talk to.

Picking up the phone he dialed and waited. "Hi, Emmett? You got a minute? I have a story you need to hear."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Feel free to leave a review...**


	11. Chapter 10

_**Oh but it's been a LOOOONG time since I've updated this fic! So many apologies to all! The kicker is that I had this sitting on my hard drive ready to go for months. It just needed to be edited then beta'ed. **_

_**If you're still following this story then MANY thanks! I hope I haven't put you all off with the horribly long wait. Thanks to those of you who reviewed/favourited/alerted this story! I love you all. **_

_**Katmom is my lovely and amazing beta to whom you should all bow down. Much love to you, Kathie! Check out her story "Dragon Stones" it's a truly amazing read.**_

_**For those of you waiting for Elevators from EPOV I haven't given up on it. I got side-tracked by the fic I submitted to the Haiti compilation.**_

_**And on to the story!  
**_

_**

* * *

**_**Across the Years - Chapter 10**

Bella was at home, savouring the last letter that Edward had written to her.

She had sent off a note as soon as she'd realized the Edward at her party and the Edward she was writing to were one and the same.

_Edward,_

_Why in the world didn't you tell me that YOU_

_were the one at my birthday party?_

_I spent so much time wondering just who you_

_were and why exactly I felt as strongly as I did._

_I'm not one to go around kissing men I barely_

_know at parties._

_I broke it off with Jake, a few weeks later. I _

_wasn't the one for him, I'd known it for _

_awhile but that party was the push I needed _

_to break things off._

_I wish you had told me who you were. I_

_liked you a lot._

_Bella_

_p.s. Was that your girlfriend you brought_

_that night? She's very pretty._

That had been two days ago, when she'd gone to the house today she'd found Edward's response waiting for her.

_Bella,_

_I would have given anything to be able_

_to tell you who I was. You know as well_

_as I do that it was impossible. You'd have_

_thought I'd lost my mind. Though I was_

_still tempted, even knowing all this._

_I can't lie and say I'm sorry to hear you_

_broke things off with Jake, selfish as it is_

_for me to say it. At the same time, I_

_hope you're not lonely._

_Tanya was never my girlfriend. She's_

_a sweet girl, but, like you and Jacob,_

_I knew I wasn't right for her. I tried to_

_like her, but I couldn't._

_She isn't you._

_Edward_

Bella read the letter over until she nearly had it memorized. Although it really had been none of her business, she was glad to hear the attractive red-head had not been attached to Edward.

She remembered the feelings that he'd evoked in her. The sensations he'd created when he kissed her, the feel of his mouth, firm upon hers, how she'd fit in his arms as if they'd been made for each other. The memory still had the power to make her blush, and her breath come faster.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of her phone. Reaching over, she picked up the receiver and put to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Bella? I finally caught you." Her mother's voice floated out from the other end.

"Hi, Mom, why didn't you leave a message?"

"You know I hate speaking into those things. I never know what to say. In any case, I have you now. How about coming over for dinner this weekend? I haven't seen you in a while."

It was true, between work and her new fixation with letter-writing, Bella hadn't seen Renee in over a month.

"That sounds good, Mom. Should I bring anything?"

"Just yourself, Bells. I can take care of the rest. I'll call you to confirm a time later on."

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"Bye, honey."

Bella hung up the phone. Perhaps Renee would be a good person to talk to about her unconventional pen pal. She was sure she was exhausting Alice with her talk of Edward.

Renee might sometimes be flighty but she knew when it came to important issues, her mother would lend a ready ear.

Yes, she'd see what her mother had to say about it all.

************

That Saturday Bella carefully placed all of Edward's letters into a large envelope which she put into her purse. The letters were her most prized possessions, she didn't know what she'd do if she lost even one.

Despite her mother's assurance that she had everything under control, Bella had still opted to bring a small dish, knowing Renee would appreciate the gesture.

In the car, Bella mused over how she'd introduce Edward into the conversation. She wasn't sure how she could bring it up without it seeming like she'd gone off the deep end.

By the time she reached Renee's small house, she still hadn't come up with any good openers.

She killed the engine, grabbed the dessert she'd prepared, and walked up to the front door. Finding it open, Bella swung open the screen door and stepped inside.

"Mom! Are you in here?"

"In the kitchen, come on back," her mother called out.

Bella found her mother slicing vegetables, with a few pots on the go on top of the stove.

"Hi, Mom. This all looks great," Bella said, peering into the contents of the pots.

"I told you that didn't need to bring anything," Renee said, but she smiled. "Though you always could beat me when it came to baking. Dinner's about done, would you mind setting the table?"

Bella went to the cutlery drawer, taking out what was needed for the two of them. Renee dished up the food onto two plates, bringing them over to the table.

As they started to eat, Renee looked hard at her daughter.

"You look different, Bella," she said.

"Do I?" Bella asked, startled. "I haven't changed my hair or anything else since the last time you saw me."

"No, it's not that. It's just a change in you. You look as if you're glowing. You've met someone, haven't you?"

Bella stared at her mother, wondering just how she came to that conclusion so quickly.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Renee continued, plucking a tomato from her salad and popping it in her mouth.

"Uh...well, sort of," Bella stammered.

"Sort of? Is it that Jacob again?" Renee frowned, knowing why Bella had broken it off with him before.

"No!" Bella denied, vehemently. "Not Jacob."

"Then who?"

If ever there was an opening to talk about Edward, this was it. Bella took a deep breath, putting her fork down.

"It's a strange kind of situation...we're sort of long distance."

"Go on," Renee encouraged.

"Well, remember the house I rented by the sea?"

"Yes..." Renee looked confused as to why Bella was bringing it up.

"There's a mailbox that can..." Bella paused, trying to figure out how to continue. "I can use it to communicate with...a guy."

"That's a nice, cryptic way of saying you send letters to each other," Renee said, bemusedly. "How old fashioned! Is he not from here?"

"Well, that's just it. He lives in Vancouver but..."

"Then why the letter-writing?"

Bella couldn't think of a way to describe who Edward was without it sounding ridiculous. Instead, she took the envelope out of her purse. Drawing the letters out, she thrust the pile at her mother.

"I can't explain it," she said. "Read those, and be careful with them please."

Putting down her own fork, Renee reached for the pile, plucking the top one from the stack.

She diligently read, exchanging one note for the next, her eyebrows raising as she studied the contents.

Bella watched as her mother kept reading, immediately going to the next letter in the pile as she became more engrossed in the words.

Renee put the most recent letter down and gave Bella a warm smile.

"Crazy, isn't it?" Bella said, laughing nervously.

"Yes, but...did this really happen?" Renee went back and found the letter and map of the walk they had taken.

"Yes, and he left me a message in the concrete by the library in Kerrisdale."

"What did it say?"

"Bella, I'm here with you. Thank you for a lovely afternoon."

Renee's expression softened. "And this book you're talking about?"

"It was supposed to be a gift for you. He...he says he found it."

"He also says he saw you. And you saw him?"

"I...I did, but it was two years ago...at a birthday party that Jacob threw for me."

"What was he like?"

"Charming, kind, beautiful..."

"Beautiful?"

"He's the most striking man I've ever seen," Bella admitted. "But, cliché as it sounds, his looks are really the least of it." She dropped her head into her hands. "Oh, Mom, what's happening to me?"

"If I didn't know better, Bella, I'd say you were in love with this man, or well on your way to it."

"But he's two years away! I mean, when has this ever happened to anyone else? Leave it to me to find a man who is completely unattainable. Maybe I'm making this all up, maybe this guy is pretending and not who he says he is at all."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No." Bella's shoulders slumped. "I don't. You must think I'm insane. Do you think this is real?"

"It's hard to believe," Renee acknowledged, "But I trust your instincts. You said you interacted with this man and judging from the letters, he's as affected by this as you are."

"What do you think I should do?" Bella asked, wanting a concrete answer.

"I think that, as your mother, I should tell you to throw out these letters and forget him, but I've never been conventional that way. I think something like this," Renee gestured at the letters, "Doesn't happen every day. This is something special between the two of you. And I think if you're meant to be you'll overcome the obstacles."

"Do you think so?" Bella wanted badly to believe her.

"I do." Renee smiled at her daughter. "Which one of us is crazy now?"

"Thanks, Mom." Bella took Renee's hand.

"You said this man's name is Edward? What's his full name, out of curiosity?"

"Cullen. Edward Cullen."

"Cullen?" Renee's brows furrowed. "And he's an architect? I wonder if he's related to Carlisle Cullen?"

"Who is Carlisle Cullen?"

"One of the best architects around from what I understood. I remember his name being mentioned a lot at the office."

Bella recalled that her mother had worked at an architectural firm as a secretary for a number of years. Renee would have heard a lot of the well-known names.

"I can ask Edward."

"Actually, that might not be a good idea." Renee suddenly looked troubled.

"Why not?"

"He died...in a plane crash. If I'm remembering right, it was just about two years ago."

*********

Bella had spent the rest of her visit at Renee's trying not to look at the clock. She wanted to know more about the man who could possibly be Edward's father. Renee, not being technologically savvy, had no internet so initiating a search wasn't a possibility until she arrived home.

Renee, noticing her daughter's distraction, had shooed her away on the condition she would return again the next weekend.

Once she was back at her apartment, Bella switched on her laptop and waited for it boot up.

She logged onto the internet, typing 'Carlisle Cullen' into a search engine.

To her surprise, a number of hits showed up both about his death and his accomplishments, indicating Renee had been right. Carlisle Cullen had indeed been well-known in his industry.

She scrolled down the page until she came to a link to a newspaper article about the man.

Clicking on the link, Bella settled down to read.

_Head of Cullen Designs passes away at 59._

_Carlisle Cullen, well known for his contributions to_

_many of Vancouver's most prominent buildings, was_

_killed in a plane crash, yesterday. Cullen, who had been_

_right in the middle of his largest project to date, the _

_design of the new downtown public library, was on his_

_way back to Vancouver following a presentation in  
New York. _

_The pilot of the small Cessna 170 was also killed_

_in the crash._

_Cullen, who has twice been awarded the RAIC Award for _

_Innovation in Architecture, had been working on the library_

_project since February of this year. The news of Cullen's _

_death has saddened Vancouver's business community where _

_Cullen was well known._

Bella skimmed the rest of the article until she came to the end.

_He is survived by his two sons, Emmett, a lawyer, and Edward. _

_Edward, an architect of promise in his own right, will take over _

_the library project and is to be assisted by the team his father _

_recruited._

She stared at the screen, trying to process what she had just read. Edward hadn't made much mention of his family, neither of them had in their correspondences to each other. She wondered what kind of relationship he had with his father.

Her eyes fell on the date of the article. She sat bolt upright, bringing her face closer to the screen as if assure herself she was reading it properly.

_June 16__th__, 2007._

That was only a month from now for Edward. Bella bit her lip as she pondered what to do. She couldn't tell him his father was going to die, but she didn't feel she should ignore it either.

Giving up on agonizing over what to do, Bella grabbed her pad of paper and pen and began to write.

_Edward,_

_You have no idea how relieved I am_

_to hear that Tanya was never your_

_girlfriend, selfish as it is to say it. I_

_don't want you to be lonely either,_

_but...I want to be the one that's_

_with you._

_On a different note, I had dinner _

_with my mother this evening and_

_she mentioned hearing your last_

_name before (yes, I told her about _

_you)._

_Is Carlisle Cullen a relation of yours?_

_I was curious and realized that we _

_haven't really talked about our_

_families much._

_I think I wrote before that I'm an_

_only child. My father died when I_

_was very young and it was just my_

_mother and me growing up. Her _

_name is Renee. She can be flighty_

_but I love her and can talk to her_

_about almost anything. I think_

_she'd like you._

_I wish so much I could sit with you,_

_and talk with you. They're such _

_simple things but so hard for us._

_Thinking of you always._

_Bella_

Bella looked over her note carefully. She knew there wasn't anything more she could say about his father.

With a heavier heart than usual she sealed the note and grabbed her car keys.

She'd never wished she could travel to the past more than she did now.

* * *

**A/N: Don't forget to review! Cheers to you all!**


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